Calling all lovers of native trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and seeds! With the advent of the rainy season, fall is an excellent time to plant natives: Moist soil gives roots a much better opportunity to grow deeply without frequent watering. Perhaps that’s why many chapters of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) hold plant sales in October. These sales are a great source of reasonably priced native plants, while at the same time supporting the Society’s crucial conservation activities. Here are a few of the sales in our area:
October 5-6: East Bay chapter, at Merritt College in Oakland; www.ebcnps.org; Shirley McPheeters, (925) 376-4095
October 12: Santa Rosa chapter, at Veterans Memorial Building; Liz Parsons, (707) 833-2063
October 12: Santa Cruz chapter, at UCSC Arboretum; www.cruzcnps.org
October 19: Santa Clara Valley chapter, at Hidden Villa Ranch; (408) 370-2177
CNPS is also sponsoring a conference on “Creating Funding Partnerships for California Native Plant Projects” on October 20-21. The conference will focus on such issues as setting up a native plant nursery, involving public agencies and nonpublic organizations in promoting native plant landscaping, and collaborating with public agencies to advance water conservation efforts. The conference includes a field trip to a restored section of Sausal Creek in Oakland. For more information, contact Kathy Kramer at (510)236-9558. Lastly, the California Exotic Pest Plant Council (Cal EPPC), which is dedicated to finding solutions to problems caused by nonnative plants in natural areas, will host its annual symposium entitled “Costs and Consequences of Invasive Plants,” October 11-13 in Sacramento. For more information, call (510) 525-1502 or visit www.caleppc.org.
