Featured Speakers SpringTopia!
Reimagining the California Lawn, Saturday May 3, 11am
Carol Bornstein is Director of the Nature Gardens at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, which is devoted to inspiring wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. For nearly 30 years, she was horticulturist at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Carol co-authored two books with David Fross and Bart O’Brien: the national award-winning California Native Plants for the Garden in 2005 and Reimagining the California Lawn: Water-conserving Plants, Practices, and Designs in 2011. She continues to advocate for sustainable, regionally appropriate landscaping, and to share her knowledge of plants native to California and other mediterranean regions though her writing, teaching, and design work. Photo by Leigh Curran.
Wildflowering L.A. and the Cresent Farm, Saturday May 3, 12:30pm
Leigh Adams, artist and sustainable agriculture consultant, will walk you through the Wildflowering LA meadow. The Crescent garden, currently home to Fritz Haig’s “Wildflowering LA” is segueing into becoming the Crescent Farm. Within this glorious display of wildflowers and earth contouring are many fascinating features including active water harvesting through swales and passive water harvesting through hugels (mounds whose core is created from felled trees). The increased number of pollinators is immediately apparent as is the native bird life which abounds in the garden. A number of mulching experiments are displayed and are being incorporated into the growing areas as various ways of promoting soil health through natural (non-chemical) methods. We are employing organic techniques to improve the 97% clay soil and nourish the microorganisms which provide food to the plants. Please join us or follow along as the Crescent Farm develops and grows!
Grafted Vegetables: Changing the Way Americans Grow Veggies!, Saturday May 3, 2pm
John Bagnasco has been in the gardening industry for over 40 years, starting with a horticulture degree from Michigan State University and followed by a stint at Frank’s Nursery and Crafts in Detroit. After publishing his first book “Plants for the Home Vol. I” in 1976, he moved to California to become regional manager and buyer for the Nurseryland division of Sunbelt Nursery Group and Armstrong Garden Centers based in Glendora, California.
In 2000, John became as a senior editor and radio personality for California-based Garden Compass. He is currently the president of GardenLife, a nationally syndicated radio show and webstore. He is also one of the partners in SuperNaturals Grafted Vegetable, LLC, which promotes the Mighty ‘Mato® and Mighty Veggies™ lines of grafted vegetables and works with breeders to promote new lines of vegetables.
John has also taught horticulture classes at Palomar College and San Diego State University. He is the host of the DVD “The Essential Guide to Roses,” which also features Bryan Main and Bruce and Sharon Asakawa. John has just had Planting Designs for Cactus and Succulents released, a book that he co-authored with Sharon Asakawa.
