Melanie Symonds, an award winning artist and a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Colored Pencil Society of America and the Theodore Payne Foundation, leads these 9:30am - 12:30pm classes on October 5, 12, 19 and 26.

Prices for the series are $120 for TP members and $140 for nonmembers. Individual classes are $35 for members, $40 for nonmembers. To find out more and to reserve your spot, please call: 818-768-1802 or check our website for info.

From October 13-15, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily, help us celebrate the fall planting season. Shoppers receive discounts on an expanded selection of plants (15% for TP members, 10% for nonmembers) - including trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, succulents, cacti, groundcovers and perennials - in our nursery and seed (10% for everyone) in our bookstore. We'll also offer a selection of native bulbs for purchase, free workshops and presentations.

While you're here, check out the vendors providing food from Auntie Em's Kitchen, garden goodies from Pot-ted, bird accessories from Wild Birds Unlimited and more.

Also, visit our library in the headquarters building to view the botanical art exhibit with work of artists in Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California and Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. We welcome all to attend the reception for the artists on Saturday, October 14 at 2pm in the library.

Admission is free. Bring your neighbors, family and friends. It's a great opportunity to buy lots of plants for your garden at reasonable prices, gifts for the holidays and learn more about native plants. You could spend a whole day at Fall Festival and never get bored!

Come one, come all!

Be a part of the festivities here from October 13 through 15th. We need assistance setting up the nursery before the sale and writing up sales slips for customers and staffing information tables during the sale.

Please contact Carmen at 818-768-1802 or programs@theodorepayne.org to sign up! Some experience volunteering with us is preferred. There is free food in it for you!

In this valuable two hour class, oak specialist and certified arborist Gary Knowlton teaches the correct cuts to keep native trees and shrubs growing beautifully! If you've never taken one of Gary's workshops, you're missing a truly enjoyable learning experience. Be sure to catch him this time around!

Call 818-768-1802 to reserve your space. $35 for members, $45 for nonmembers.

We've put together a dynamic, photo-rich PowerPoint presentation that showcases information about California native plants (including the matilija poppy, Mr. Payne's inspiration) and Theodore Payne - the Man and the Foundation. Please contact Carmen at 818-768-1802 or programs@theodorepayne.org if your group is interested. We can arrange to give the presentation here at our beautiful 22-acre property in Sun Valley or off-site, pending staff availability.

If your garden contains at least 50% California native plants and you're interested in being considered for our 4th Annual Native Plant Garden Tour on April 28 & 29 of 2007, please contact Carmen at: 818-768-1802 or by email: programs@theodorepayne.org.

We're also seeking organizations, companies, individuals, etc. to help finance the 2007 Tour. If you'd like to contribute by becoming a major sponsor or by buying an ad in our full color program that goes to every person who purchases a ticket to the Garden Tour (over 1500 people this year), please contact Carmen at the above email address or phone number.

TP members receive 20% off the plant of the month. October's offering is Juncus mexicanus, a wonderful rush (grasslike shape with stiff, vertical evergreen foliage) for your pond or water garden. Keep it in its pot if you don't want it to spread too much. The seemingly insignificant brownish flowers in spring and summer will attract butterflies and birds.

For our special nursery highlight, we decided to shine a little sun on a couple unnoticed plants that truly deserve attention.

Ranunculus californicus (California buttercup) is a one foot high and wide drought deciduous perennial with precious yellow to orange flowers typically blooming in the winter and spring. Hummingbirds and insects visit it to collect nectar. It likes semi moist, loam or clay soil. In a mixed border or meadow, it is beautiful combined with blue eyed grass, shooting stars, wild onion and Ithurial's Spear. California buttercup will reseed on its own, providing more plants year after year, if you let it. Check out its ethnobotanic (cultural) value by visiting the California native plant gallery on our Web site.

Sidalcea malaeflora "Palustre" (checkermallow) is a delicate perennial with powdery pink flowers. Like the buttercups, it matures at one foot high and wide and likes a little moisture. Position this fast-growing, hardy, deciduous native in a low border in rocky or acidic soil and watch the winged wonders appear. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other insects collect nectar from the flowers and "seed eaters" eat the seeds.

You may do either at our website and get all the great benefits of membership: discounts on plants and classes, quarterly newsletter: The Poppy Print, a tax deduction and the satisfaction of helping raise native plant consciousness.

Sign up through our E-Store. Just click on the link below to contribute. While you're there, check out our selection of books and seed that you can purchase online. Thanks!

Our outreach continues this fall and we need volunteers to help staff our booth, sell plants and provide information at the Montrose Harvest Market on Sunday, October 1.

There are lots of other ways to volunteer with us. We always need help in the seed room, sales yard, office and propagation areas. It's a great way to learn more about native plants.

One of the best ways to begin your TP volunteering is to take part in a First Saturday project, where you'll learn how to properly care for a native garden by helping us in ours. We will select an area on our 22-acre property to beautify and then we'll set to work cleaning, clearing, planting, pruning, mulching and anything else that needs to be done. Tools are provdided. Please bring gloves, knee pads, sunscreen, a hat and any tools for your personal use. We will shower you with thanks and give you coffee, juice, bagels and doughnuts!

The next First Saturday project is on October 7, from 9 am to 12 pm. No need to call ahead. Just show up ready to work.

For other volunteer opportunities, please call (818-768-1802) or email Carmen (programs@theodorepayne.org) to get involved. Thanks!

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Please put our email (programs@theodorepayne.org) in your address book so you don't miss out on the happenings at Theodore Payne.

After visiting Fall Festival at Theodore Payne, stop by CNPS Santa Monica Mountains Chapter's plant sale on October 14 & 15 at Sepulveda Garden Center. For more information, call: 818-881-3706.

email: programs@theodorepayne.org

web: http://www.theodorepayne.org