July 1st at TP from 1pm-3:30pm, Ken and Rhonda Gilliland (TP webmasters, members and Garden Tour hosts) teach this introductory course on incorporating California native plants into a home garden. A field trip to their lovely wildlife-rich garden (minutes from TP) enhances the learning experience. $20 for members and $30 for non-members. Sign up now by calling 818-768-1802 or through our website (www.theodore payne.org).

Dr. Holliday Wagner, Plant Ecologist and TP Nursery Manager, demystifies the California native plant botanical bible, The Jepson Manual, during this July 8 class at TP from 9am-11am. Please bring your Jepson with you. Reserve your seat today for a rare opportunity to learn the intricacies of the resource used by the pros! $10 for members and $20 for non-members. 818-768-1802 or www.theodore payne.org.

We all need the right tools. We also need to take care of them properly! At TP on July 15 from 10am-12pm, let David King, Gardenmaster for The Learning Garden at Venice High School, take you on a journey of the world through the eyes of your garden tools! $20 for members and $30 for non- members. Your tools will thank you! Seats by phone: 818-768-1802 or online: www.theodore payne.org.

August 12th is our next Native Plant Horticulture class. TP Board Member and renowned Landscape Designer, Stephanie Wilson Blanc, is the guest teacher. Students from the horticulture class can also learn design from Stephanie at the Native Garden Design Workshop on August 26th. This popular class combo fills up fast. The design class is limited to 8 so call now (818-768- 1802) or go to our website (www.theodore payne.org) to reserve your space.

To read about one of Stephanie's projects restoring a 2.5-acre home garden overrun with exotics to a native habitat thriving with wildlife, click on the link below to access an article in Audubon Magazine.

Here's an excerpt from the piece that was written by Susan J. Tweit: "Thus was rekindled Russo's love affair with southern California's neglected heritage-its indigenous plants. She and Blanc embarked on a mission to save her live oaks, nearly drowned by overwatering and half strangled by the vines of invasive vinca and English ivy, and by thickets of exotic sweet gum, pittosporum, Brazilian pepper, and bottlebrush trees."

Current TP members and those who sign up for a membership when they visit the nursery and bookstore get 20% off the plant of the month. July's selection is Ceanothus impressus nipomoensis (Nipomo ceanothus). An evergreen shrub, 5-10 feet high and about 5 feet wide with blue flowers that appear in the spring, Nipomo ceanothus needs full sun and well-draining soil. Try it espaliered against an attractive wall, in a large pot or in the ground amongst other shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Butterflies love this plant!

New in the nursery sales yard: we've recently added Wyethia angustifolia (narrow-leaved mules ears) to the nursery. It is a deer tolerant, 2'X2' perennial with daisy-like yellow flowers in late spring into summer. It needs full sun or part shade, well-draining soil and moderate water. The foliage is green and it dies back each winter.

Be sure to put our email address (programs@theodorepayne.org) in your address book so you don't miss any tantalizing tidbits of this e-newsletter!

Gardeners: You've toiled over your plants for years and now it's time to show off all that hard work!

If your garden consists of at least 50% or more California native plants and you'd like to be considered for our 4th Annual Garden Tour on April 28th and 29th of 2007, please contact Carmen Wolf at programs@theodorepayne.org or 818-768-1802.

Advertisers & Sponsors: We're looking for organizations, companies, individuals, etc. to help finance the 2007 Tour. If you'd like to contribute, please contact Carmen at the above email address or phone number.

From July through September, we're open Thursday- Saturday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. And from October through June, visit us Tuesday-Saturday, 8:30 am- 4:30 pm.

We are the only nursery in Los Angeles County devoted exclusively to California native plants, offering the general public upwards of 500 species year round.

After shopping the nursery, step into our bookstore and find a wide array of books, local honey, seeds and native plant related gifts, such as t-shirts, posters, cards, bookmarks, soap, incense, sachets and more.

Volunteering at Theodore Payne is a unique opportunity to learn all about California native plants. We need people to re-start our monthly trips to the Montrose Farmer's Market in October. It's a lot of fun and a great way to spread the word about native plants and TP!

If you're interested in this or other opportunities like propagation, sales yard help, seed room work, grant writing and more, please contact Carmen Wolf at: 818-768-1802 or programs@theodorepayne.org. Thanks!

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email: programs@theodorepayne.org

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