Seminars

Global Gardening

Australian horticulturist and landscape designer, Jamie Durie is a television host, author of seven bestselling books and expert who appears regularly on The Oprah Winfrey Show. A committed environmentalist and pioneer of “The Outdoor Room” concept, Jamie Durie’s inspiration comes from the vast natural beauty of the Australian landscape, extensive international travel and a passion for Eastern culture and lifestyle through his Sri Lankan heritage. Jamie will be providing a new light on the latest trends in garden design across the globe. Also enjoy a sneak preview of Jamie’s latest portfolio of contemporary work.

Old World Traditional Food Preserving

Join the owner of The Road Less Traveled Store, Master Food Preserver and contributor for KCRW’s Good Food radio show Delilah Snell on a global adventure of preserved foods. Delilah will discuss the history of 4 iconic preserved foods with a demonstration and tasting explaining the science of keeping food and a region’s culture alive.

Understanding and Creating Sustainable Soil for Productive and Healthy Plants

Joyce Jong, a Certified Soil Food Web Advisor enjoys helping others understand soil biology and sustainable gardening and farming in order to reduce chemical applications. Successful growing begins with healthy soil food web. Learn about the soil food web and the interactions between soil organisms and plants that are key to creating and sustaining healthy soil and plants.

Pruning Japanese Maples for Beauty

Patricia Smyth, owner of Essence of the Tree, will demonstrate how to achieve the classic, open layered beauty of the Japanese Maples with air and light to accentuate color and structure. She will discuss the natural growth habits of the different Japanese Maples and how to encourage this within the constraints of your garden. Understand how your tree will respond to pruning so you can achieve the beautiful classic form you seek.

A Garden Writer’s Favorite Gardens Around the World

Garden writer Pam Waterman will present extraordinary pictures and descriptions of 10 to 12 famous gardens; Vaux Le Vicompte, Kenrokuen, Ryonji, Keukenhof, Villa Garzoni, Tresco Abbey, Inverewe and many others.

Backyard Orchards

Teena Spindler, University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener since 2005, serves as the Master Gardener Lead at the Food and Farm Lab at the Great Park in Irvine will discuss back yard orchards. Not enough room in your backyard for an orchard? With a little planning and know-how, it could happen. Learn about the varieties of fruit trees suitable for backyard growing and how to plant and care for them. The University Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners of Orange County will provide tips for fruit trees in small gardens. All valuable information…ripe for the picking!

Backyard Bees & The Art of Beekeeping

Janet Andrews and Kelly Yrarrázaval, founders of Backyard Bees, started beekeeping as a hobby and realized the urgent public need to provide an alternative to honeybee extermination and now rescue bees from the most unusual places. They are bee advocates and enthusiasts who keep hives alive, actively pollinating and producing honey in local, lush Orange County gardens. Janet and Kelly will also discuss beekeeping basics and equipment, the benefits of pure honey, the honey crisis and planting a bee-friendly garden.

Cooking With Organic Produce

Cathy Thomas, cookbook author and food writer will talk all about organic produce and creating delectable dishes without spending hours in the kitchen. Joined by Robert Schweller of Melissa’s Produce, she will demonstrate cooking organic produce using her favorite recipes from her cookbook, Simply Organic.
(Book signing following the presentation)

Greywater in the Landscape: What It Is and How To Use It

Stephanie Shermoen, an innovative landscape architect, project manager and educator with over 15 years of expert experience in the development of land planning, design concepts, irrigation design and water conservation will explain why greywater is the answer to not paying for fresh water twice. She will explain how to take advantage of the water resources we are already using, how to reduce water bills; reduce the stress of treatment plants and help recharge groundwater.

Successful Orchid Growing in Orange County

Tony Glinskas, executive officer of the non-profit, Fascination of Orchids, and serves as chairman for their orchid show in September at South Coast Plaza Village will discuss and demonstrate how to select, care for and repot orchids that are suitable for Southern California.

Rose Gardening Basics

Tom Cooney, Master Rosearian for the American Rose Society, is an accomplished Rose Exhibitor and grows over 250 roses in his garden, including Hybrid Teas, Floribunda’s, shrubs, old garden roses, miniatures and minifloras. Tom will discuss the fundamentals of using organic methods to grow outstanding roses in Southern California.

Think Globally, Plant Locally

Join Reginald Durant, Director of Restoration for Back to Natives Restoration, and learn how to make your landscape sustainable using locally native, California plants. Using natives conserves water and eliminates the need for pesticides, which harm beneficial insects and other animals and reduces the exposure to toxic substances. Learn which landscape quality native plants will work best in your yard.

There’s No Place Like Home – Matching Native Plants to your Garden Style

Gene Ratcliffe, Tree of Life Nursery and California Native Plant Society member will explain why California native plants are suited to many garden styles, including Italian, English, cottage and Japanese; how they have additional advantages of natural adaption to our area, low water use and high habitat values for birds and butterflies.

Reimagining the California Lawn: Another Gentle Plea to Reconsider Your Lawn

David Fross, Founder and President of Native Sons Wholesale Nursery will present creative alternatives to the ubiquitous California lawn. Meadows, greenswards, gravel gardens and more; there is an attractive and water-conserving lawn replacement option compatible with any garden design.
(Book signing following the presentation)

Seasonal Cooking from the Garden

Chef Tim Kast of Seasons 52 will share his vision and his food as he discusses the seasonality of various fruits and vegetables that are commonly found in a garden during the Spring season. After the discussion he will perform a cooking demonstration of Seasons 52’s Tropical Salad & Shrimp Roll and Hamachi Tataki.

To Bloom or Not to Bloom

Gini McCanne, owner of Violet Perfection by Gini, will give a cultural presentation for successful growing of African Violets to create beautiful blossoms.

From Garden To Plate

Debbi Dubbs, Chef/Owner Debs Kitchen, has developed a reputation for teaching how to stock and cook from one’s pantry to make cooking easier and more accessible. Learn how to grow an easy kitchen garden to use in your recipes. Chef Debbi has shared her secrets on radio and television and writes a bi-monthly column for Great Taste and has a new book “What’s In Your Pantry”.
(Book signing following the presentation)

The Benefits of Eating Organically

Karen Cancilla, Founder of groOrganic, will discuss how the foods you and your family eat directly affect your health and by growing your own organic fruit and vegetable garden can also help the environment. Lean how having a properly maintained home organic garden can be convenient, fresh and nutritious.

Two Gardens–One Lawn-Free Theme: A Peek at The Alhambra in Granada, Spain and a Southern California Garden Inspired by the Granada

Violet Elizabeth Lawrence, principal of Violet E. Lawrence & Associates will share stunning images of the Alhambra Palace & Generalife Gardens in Granada, Spain partnered with an Alhambra-inspired residential garden in California. Both have breathtaking gardens, fountains, patios, decorated tiles, bold architecture, stained glass windows and sweeping views in common. Special feature of the California garden is a stunning entrance stairway with painted tiles and a stained glass window which are highlighted with a living “mosaic” of water conserving plants. Join Violet to find out how to create your own garden retreat with architectural details and plants that thrive in Southern California.

Get Healthy by Going Green with Interior Plants

Debra Ringler, Owner of The Personal Plant Service, Certified Interior Landscape Professional and Certified Trainer for Green Plants for Green Buildings will discuss how better to go green than to incorporate interior plants into your environment; how to get through the maze of designs, plant selections and care of your plants. Whether a newcomer to indoor gardening or an avid hobbyist, this interactive seminar is designed to show your how plants give you better health and how to be successful in greening up your world and your green thumb.

Meadows by Design

John Greenlee, founder of Greenlee Nursery and author of The American Meadow Garden, is as excited about meadows today as he was 25 years ago when he opened the first specialty grass nursery on the West Coast. He’ll show inspiring meadow gardens and the natural grass ecologies that inform them and talk about the grasses he finds indispensable.
(Book signing following the presentation)

Wild Birds and How They Relate to Your Garden and Its Beauty

General Manager and Certified Birdfeeding Specialist for Wild Birds Unlimited in Mission Viejo, Dave Brandt, will present photographs from Cornell University’s School of Orinthology and he invites you to join together the wonderful worlds of birding and gardening. He will show you how these exciting hobbies intertwine and how, by combining the beauty of your garden with the beauty of nature’s wild birds, you can open up a world that you may not have known existed.

Sustainable Landscaping: A Visionary Look at the Future of Gardens

Owen Dell, ASLA, Principal, Owen Dell & Associates, award-winning, internationally admired landscape architect, author, educator, co-host and co-creator of the popular Santa Barbara television series “”Garden Wise Guys” will share his vision of how environmentally and socially conscious landscaping can make a huge contribution to a brighter future, including a wealth of specific ideas on how to create stable, beautiful landscape systems that really work for property owners and for the environment. Home gardeners and landscape professionals will learn how to create profitable business opportunities by incorporating sustainable landscaping principles into their projects.
(Book signing following the presentation)

Easy Recipe Vegetable Garden

Ann Phillips, President of Go Green Gardeners will provide you with all you need to know to create an easy, bountiful, organic vegetable garden.

Japanese Maples in the Southern California Landscape

Barry Hoffer, owner of Maples for All Seasons, will demonstrate how to pick the right Japanese Maple for the right micro climate in your landscape, proper planting and pruning.

Growing African Violets and Gesneriads in Southern California

Leonard Re, African Violet Grower for 30 years, accredited Senior African Violet Judge and accredited Senior Gesneriad Judge will explain the best ways to grow beautiful African Violets indoors and the other Gesneriad (Nematanthus, Streptocarpus and Columneas) outdoors.