Saturdays; 10:00am Meet at the Crescent Farm Free for members / Free for non-members (with arboretum admission)
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.
November 19 – 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.
December 3 – Water Harvesting The Crescent Farm at the Arboretum has 9 core water harvesting techniques that can be replicated in any yard. Learn about berms and swales, infiltration basins, terracing, trenching, lasagna mulching, increasing soil absorption, decreasing soil compaction, passive water harvesting through Hugelkultur, and creating permeability in hardscapes. We will also discuss rain barrels, rain chains and ollas. Ensure the water that falls on your property stays on your property.