Saturdays; 10:00am Meet at the Crescent Farm Free for members / Free for non-members (with arboretum admission) Instructor: Crescent Farm Staff
Learn about water conservation and sustainable gardening, with hands-on experience! The Crescent Farm, located in the heart of the Arboretum just west of Baldwin Lake, is a reclaimed landscape where we explore new and ancient horticulture techniques for water conservation and food production. This is an educational training series. Please bring gloves, drinking water; wear close-toed shoes and a hat.
January 21 – Lawn Alternatives Re-imagine your lawn with interesting, vibrant alternatives! Explore cool and warm season grasses. Create a colorful four-season meadow with California native seeds. Consider evergreen options that are highlighted through low growing ground covers and a variety of subshrubs. For those who are not interested in turning your yard into a “drive by Arizona liquor store” gravel pit experience, this workshop is a must.
February 18 – Swale Workshop Swales in the yard provide beauty, topography and water-harvesting opportunities. This workshop covers how to design, build and maintain swales. Enhance the health of the plants in your yard and use less water by introducing swales into the landscape.
March 11 – California Meadow Spend a spring morning in a beautiful meadow at Crescent Farm! Last November we demonstrated how to plant a California-friendly wildflower meadow as a lawn alternative and in this workshop we explore its progression. Plant ID, habitat building and meadow maintenance will be discussed.
April 22 – Pollinators Crescent Farm provides amazing habitat where our local fauna thrives. In the design and development phases of building Crescent Farm special consideration was given to plant selection and how these plants establish superior homes for native bees, birds and butterflies. Introducing pollinators into your yard adds interest, photo and learning opportunities for the whole family.
May 20 – Weaving / Basketry Learn to use your bio-mass (plant waste) to create garden structures. Simple weaving techniques can use leaves as cordage, branches as trellises, tomato cages, shade shelters, and various long lasting leaves as weavers. Design and build compost structures, plant guards and soil traps in your own Crescent Garden.
June 17 – Crescent Farm Horticulture Explore horticulture at Crescent Farm. Tour our choices for low water lawn alternatives, California native ethnobotanic plants of our local indigenous tribes, arid climate orchard trees and native wildflowers! Get ideas for your home landscape from our New California Landscape. Growing tips will also be discussed.