Having a front yard, planter or garden\u2014or whatever amount of space you have \u2014full of California native plants isn\u2019t just trendy these days, it\u2019s a political statement.<\/p>\n
From succulents to poppies, you don\u2019t have to be a horticulturist to understand these richly colored, textured flora are good for the environment, using 80% less water than conventional gardens and requiring less fertilizer (less ground contaminants) and less pesticides, among other benefits.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s all according to the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants, which, in partnership with Rancho Los Cerritos, is hosting a native plant garden maintenance course in Long Beach on Wednesday, the second in a new series of collaborations with the Rancho.<\/p>\n
During the afternoon class, students will be instructed by the foundation’s director of operations, Andrew Chaves, on how and when to prune, groom and water their plants, how to develop good maintenance goals as well as manage pests, among other maintenance topics.<\/p>\n
Rancho Los Cerritos Horticulturist Marie Barnidge-McIntyre said visitors can also reference the site’s sages, located in the native plants section of the grounds in front of the Visitor Center, as an example of when when to prune your plants, how plants respond to irrigation, and when and when not to encourage growth.<\/p>\n
Not only will you receive a heavy dollop of knowledge from Chaves but, afterward, you\u2019ll receive a tour of the gorgeous Rancho grounds\u2014designed by another late native plant champion in the 30s, Ralph D. Cornell\u2014that boasts a Moreton Bay Fig Tree planted in 1881 and Italian Cypress trees planted in 1844.<\/p>\n
Part of the session will be held outside, so please avoid sun damage or dehydration by bringing a hat and a water bottle. And if you\u2019re still not convinced that native plants are the way to go for your summer landscaping plans, here\u2019s a comprehensive case for natives<\/a>.<\/p>\n Is this the Hi-lo or your grandmother’s gardening blog?<\/p>\n