American Horticultural Society

Bromeliad Show & Sale (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)

South Bay Bromeliad Associates Annual Show and Sale will be highlight a wide
variety of members’ specimen bromeliads including Tillandsia, Neoregelia, Dyckia, Vriesea,
Aechmea, Billbergia and Guzmanias, and an artistic arrangement section. Chances are excellent
that you will see bromeliads you have not seen before. Bromeliads are easy to grow and offer a wide
variety of colors and interesting forms. Club members will be available to answer questions. Plants
for sale are from local Southern California commercial vendors and from members’ own
collections

Plant-O-Rama Plant Sale (Corona Del Mar, CA)

Sherman Library & Gardens hosts this retro-event, which debuted in 1972 and
features plants and plant experts from these participating plant societies – California Native Plant
Society, Los Angeles International Fern Society, Newport Harbor Orchid Society, Orange County
Begonia Society, Saddleback Valley Bromeliad Society, and Southern California Carnivorous Plant
Enthusiasts. Former Gardens Director, Wade Roberts started the event in 1972 as a fundraiser for
the Sherman Foundation. At the time, former Horticulture Manager John Bishop managed the
nursery at the Sherman Foundation Experimental Center in Dana Point. “People always asked us if
we sold plants from the garden. It seemed like the right thing to do and we had the facility to grow
the plants,” recalled Bishop. “It was a very popular event. People would arrive early, and wait in the
parking lot until the gardens opened,” he added. Plant-O-Rama showcased local plant societies as
well as a unique variety of houseplants, tropical, hanging baskets, and succulents. Fast forward to
2024, this special event supports Sherman Library & Gardens and local plant societies.

Small Container Gardening (Santa Monica, CA)

Do not let limited space limit your gardening ambitions! Join University of California
Master Gardeners Beth Cross and Joy Tucker who’ll focus on container gardening and raised beds,
discussing benefits, site preparation, key to success, materials and what and how to plant. Limited
seating. Please bring your own chair or blanket.

Herb Walk: Medicinal Plants of California (Claremont, CA)

Join herbalist William Broen for an interactive garden walk and talk focusing on medicinal and edible plants native to California. Participants will learn traditional and modern uses of approximately 15-25 species. William will also talk about the strategies plants use to survive in the wild, how these survival and defense strategies can impact people, how plant communities interact, and the benefits of growing native plants. The class will take the form of a moderately easy 2-hour loop walk, covering 0.5 – 1 mile distance.

Bird and Butterfly Garden Grand Opening (Claremont, CA)

CalBG’s new Bird and Butterfly Garden was created out of the destruction from an enormous windstorm in January 2022. Over the past year, a tangle of damaged vegetation has been transformed into a lush new Garden area dedicated to the intertwined relationships between California’s native plants and the animals that live amongst them. With interpretive signage, shady sitting areas, and the flexible Outdoor Classroom space right next door, the Bird and Butterfly Garden will provide year-round opportunities for celebrating plant and animal interactions.

45th Annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show (Fort Bragg, CA)

Each year, the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) partners with Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to showcase some of the best rhodie specimens on the west coast. The 45th annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show will be held at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. The juried show is quite possibly the largest in California with a typical show displaying more than 800 entries and filling the big tent with cascades of color and fragrance.

Pacific Rose Society Show and Sale (Arcadia, CA)

The Pacific Rose Society hosts one of the largest rose shows each spring. Rose Exhibitors from all over Southern California bring their beautiful roses for display. For this year’s rose show, exhibitors and judges must be registered with the convention and have a Registration Number. You do not need to be a member of Pacific Rose Society to exhibit or visit our rose show.

Forest Bathing at the Garden (San Francisco, CA)

Looking to feel more grounded and to deepen your relationship with nature? The practice of Forest Therapy (also known as Forest Bathing or Shinrin Yoku) encourages participants to slow down and reconnect with the natural world by quieting the mind and awakening the senses. The practice has been scientifically proven to boost immune strength, reduce stress, and improve cognitive functioning.

On this gentle walk, a certified Forest Therapy Guide will lead you through a series of crafted invitations to assist you in finding your own authentic way of interacting with the More-Than-Human World while building community with your fellow participants. There’s no right or wrong way to participate — just come and be yourself. Please arrive 5-10 minutes early. $2 of each ticket purchase will be donated to OneTreePlanted.org, a nonprofit organization focused on global reforestation. This walk will involve gentle physical activity. We recommend wearing warm, comfortable clothing.

Springs Preserve Botanical Garden Earth Day Celebration (Las Vegas, NV)

Celebrate Earth Day at the Springs Preserve, where Every Day is Earth Day! Join the community and bring the whole family for fun and educational explorations of our campus—a living example of sustainable lifestyles, design and architecture. Check out our conservation-focused exhibits and attractions, visit with environmental and green industry exhibitors, participate in eco-friendly craft activities, grab a bite to eat from local food trucks, and find out how you can play a role in ensuring a sustainable future through resource conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction and natural resource protection.

San Diego Botanic Garden Bird Walk (Encinitas, CA)

Join us the first Monday of each month for an SDBG-hosted a bird walk led by our birding specialists Rita Campbell, Sue Smith, Gretchen Nell, and Jeff Clingan. SDBG is a birding hotspot, providing a home to our native birds, migrants, and wintering guests.

Starting promptly at 8am to gain the most out of our early morning birding hours, the group searches out the greatest number of bird species in our native and ornamental gardens. The experience varies according to the season and always provides an unique, interesting, and informative walk through the Garden. All those interested in birding, beginner to expert, are invited to attend.