Events
Special Events
Members of the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden are invited to occasional, free, members-only special events, including field trips, talks, and celebrations.
Past events have included slide presentations and tours of famous, all-California native gardens; field trips led by popular botanists; talks with noted native plant gardening book authors; and, luncheons in celebration of completed renovation projects. To become a Friend of the Garden, please visit our Membership page.
Plant Sales
ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE
The Botanic Garden's Spring plant sale is a once-a-year opportunity to select from an unmatched diversity of California native plants propagated by volunteers from the Garden's collection. Plant sales include trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, grasses, buds, ferns, and annuals, as well as native plant seeds. Many of the plants offered are unavailable anywhere else. The sale features plants to fit conditions in every Bay Area garden, with experts on-hand to provide advice and gardening tips. All proceeds from the sale directly benefit the Regional Parks Botanic Garden. The sale is held at the Garden on the third Saturday of every April from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted. Customers are encouraged to bring their own boxes and bags for carry-out.
For directions to the Garden, visit the Garden's web site www.nativeplants.org.
WEEKLY PLANT SALES
On Thursday mornings from May to December, Garden volunteers sell native plants from 9 to 11 a.m., weather permitting. During episodes of inclimate weather, please call ahead. Drop by the Juniper Lodge at the center of the Garden (accessed most easily from Anza View Road) to browse and purchase plants. For more information about the Garden call (510) 544-3169 or bgarden@ebparks.org.
SEEDS
Our Seedy Friends group collects and offers seeds of many native plants in the Garden's extensive collection. The seeds are available in the Garden's Visitor Center on Sundays and Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are also available at the Garden's fall lectures, the annual Spring Plant Sale and often during plant sales and fairs of the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Please send any questions to Susan Agnew at boltonbike@sbcglobal.net.
Wayne Roderick Lectures
Join us for the Botanic Garden's popular series of free public lectures on a broad array of topics related to plants and natural history. Named in honor of its founder, the Wayne Roderick Lecture Series takes place on Saturday mornings from November through February at 10:30 a.m. in the Visitor Center of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden. These illustrated presentations are enjoyable for beginners and professionals alike. All lectures are free and open to the public.
Note: Because the lectures are hosted on Saturday mornings, seating is limited and so it is advisable to arrive early.
2012
Jan. 7 Wildflower hunting in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, and Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior – Bob Case
Jan. 14 East of the Range of Light – Steve Edwards & Mike Uhler
Jan. 21 Natural history of Switzerland – Ron Felzer
Jan. 28 Crown Jewel of our parks: botany and geology of Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness – Steve Edwards
Feb. 4 Indian uses of California native plants – John Kipping
Feb. 11 Peripatetic botany from Modoc to San Benito – Dick O’Donnell
Feb. 18 Island of Fogs: exploring Cedros Island in Baja California – Mike Uhler
Feb. 25 The western Mohave – Steve Edwards