|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Whether you’re looking to hone your gardening skills or explore local history, you’ll find plenty of opportunities on the Peninsula this season. Check out our June home & garden events calendar.
Bonsai show
10 a.m-4 p.m., Saturday, June 7 & Sunday, June 8 | San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo | Free | More information
Explore more than 60 artful miniature replicas of full-grown trees during the 41st annual bonsai show put on by the Sei Boku Bonsai Kai club. The show will include exhibits, demonstrations, vendors, a raffle and free bonsai care advice.
Chicago-based bonsai artist Jennifer Price will hold a bonsai workshop from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday. Guests can bring their own bonsai trees to “Dr Bonsai” for advice on both days of the event.
How architecture changed the world
4-6 p.m., Saturday, June 7 | Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real #100 Menlo Park| $15| Tickets and information
Meet four artisans who are redefining modern living through design and architecture.
Neal J. Z. Schwartz, a modernist reinventing architecture; Antonina Markoff, a trailblazer in sustainability; Kari McIntosh Dawdy, a storyteller through design; and Kelly Hohla, renowned for crafting timelessly harmonious spaces will illuminate the artistry behind their celebrated projects during this two-hour presentation moderated by Beth Buckley, founder and principal publisher of Benton Buckley Books.
Their work is featured in three hardcover titles published and written by Buckley: “New View California: A Curated Visual Gallery”, “Modish: The Book of Great Design”, and “/be-spōk/[bespoke]: a philosophy of beauty.” .
A reception and book signing will immediately follow the hourlong Q&A discussion.
‘Gardening without the ouch’
10 – 11:30 a.m., Sat., June 7 | 230 Demeter St., East Palo Alto | Free | Registration and information
Gardening may be among America’s favorite hobbies, but it’s also a common cause of back pain. Join Gokhale Method founder and seasoned gardener Esther Gokhale for a workshop that will teach you how to garden with healthy posture. From digging and planting to harvesting and beyond, you’ll learn practical techniques to prevent and relieve back pain so you can enjoy gardening to the fullest— without the “ouch.”
Irrigation demystified
10 – 11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 7 | Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto | $32 members, $40 nonmembers | Registration required
Irrigation systems are vital to gardens but can seem complex and challenging to implement. In this interactive workshop held outdoors in the Demonstration Garden, participants will learn everything they need to know about the fundamentals of irrigation systems. This class will cover basic terminology, components, simple repairs, irrigation types and basic system layout. Participants will have the opportunity to view Gamble Garden’s irrigation systems close up and learn how to troubleshoot minor issues.
‘The Monarch Butterfly Crisis’
6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 9 | Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St. | Registration recommended
Learn how you can help stop the decline of monarch butterflies during this one-hour workshop by Santa Clara County Master Gardener Rebecca Schoenenberger, who will teach participants about the monarch butterfly’s life cycle, habitat and migration patterns, as well as why monarchs are in danger, and what you can do to help conservation efforts. The workshop also will review several specific plants you can have in your garden to create a monarch habitat at your home.
Seating is limited. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Thornewood history hike – with your hound
6-8 p.m., Tuesday, June 10 | Thornewood Preserve, Woodside | Free | Reservations and information
Bring your dog on this moderately paced 3-mile hike through the small, yet storied, Thornewood Preserve. Docent naturalists Ani Agahian and Ashley Jordan will lead you on this out-and-back hike on the Schilling Lake and Bridle trails, where you will learn about the preserve’s origins and enjoy the incredible diversity of natural communities found within the small area.
Reservations are required and must be made by 2 p.m., June 9.
Summer on the farm
9 a.m. – noon, Wednesdays & Saturdays, June 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 | Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills | Registration required.
Help Hidden Villa’s farm team care for food grown in the fields for the local community. Volunteers are needed to help remove weeds from the farm fields as well as assistance with other tasks. Participants should come ready to get dirty. The farm recommends wearing clothes that you’re okay with getting dirty, sturdy boots and a sun hat. Bring a water bottle and snacks, if you like.
Volunteers meet at the front of the property at 9 a.m. and then head out to the fields from there.
Hidden Villa grows on about 7 acres of land, producing food for the community and donating 25% of the harvest to the food bank at the Community Services Agency of Mountain View. Anyone under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by a guardian.
Sunset hikes at Filoli
6-7:30 p.m.., Wednesdays & Thursdays, June 11-Sept. 18, Filoli, 86 Cañada Road, Woodside | $75 | Registration and information.
Explore the natural lands beyond Filoli’s formal gardens during a guided sunset tour along the estate’s beloved trails, as well as trails rarely open to the public. The 2-mile hike follows a scenic creek bed and historic flume built more than 100 years ago by William Bourn, the industrialist who constructed Filoli.
The 90-minute hike takes guests uphill on winding paths through towering redwoods, fern-covered understory and ever-changing flora and fauna.
Your hike includes access to Filoli’s Summer Nights, when the grounds are open after regular hours from 5 – 8 p.m.
Free summer seeds at local libraries
Not sure what to plant as summer approaches? Head to your local library. Several public libraries on the Midpeninsula include seed libraries stocked with vegetable, fruit, herb and native flower seeds that residents can bring home and plant for free. You can find the seeds stored in old library card catalogs at most libraries that offer this service – and you don’t need a library card. Available seed varieties are rotated seasonally according to optimal planting times for our area.
Rinconada, Menlo Park, Belle Haven, Mountain View and Redwood City public libraries are among those that operate seed libraries in the area. Contact your local library for more information.
Rain garden home tour
10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Sat., Aug. 2 | 230 Demeter St., East Palo Alto | Free | Registration required
Fresh Approach, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting healthy food by connecting farmers with local communities, is hosting a self-guided tour of rain gardens. Participants on the Rain Garden Home Tour will get a firsthand look at a variety of gardens and will be introduced to the basics of rain garden benefits, installation and maintenance. This tour requires walking, driving or biking to various gardens. All East Palo Alto, Belle Haven and North Fair Oaks residents in attendance will receive vouchers toward purchasing fruits and veggies at participating farmers’ markets.
