Over 200 volunteers planted 660 plants representing 150 native species, many rare and virtually unheard of in commercial horticulture. Tree of Life Nursery provided all the plants and the donation which included unique botanical treasures from 50 years of Mike Evans collecting and growing plants native to Alta and Baja California.
Thank you:
Carla Quimson (Horticulturist, The Nat) for organizing this incredible event
Jon Rebman (Curator of Botany, The Nat) for keeping me honest on the species, plant distribution, nomenclature, and for laying out the Baja section.
Judy Gradwohl (CEO The Nat) with your entire team, for trusting us with this project.
Thank you horticultural committee members representing The Nat:
Eowyn Bates, VP of Philanthropy and Engagement
Ariel Hammond,Director of Research Library & Archives
Shahan Derkarabetian, Curator of Entomology.
Thanks also to the many team leaders including:
Sam Tall, City Farmers Nursery
Greg Rubin, California’s Own Native Landscape
Lucy Warren, Forever Balboa Park, Master Gardeners, CNPS/San Diego
Patrick Mongomerey, Native West Nursery
Christine Hoey and your whole team, CNPS/San Diego
Laurie Egan-Hedley, Barona Band of Mission Indians
HollyMcMullen, Southwestern College and your students
Laurie Roberts (whose father Norman Roberts authored Field Guide to the Plants of Baja California)
The Nat Garden Corps
Thank you to each of the 200+ volunteers, (including several Tree of Lifers from OC), who made this dream come true. We planted 660 plants, including many in 15 and 5 gallon containers, in less than 3 hours! This year, The Nat celebrates 150 Years of “Here For Nature,” and Tree of Life is honored to be involved in bringing regional biodiversity to the new native plant garden.
Hopefully we can plan a similar (somewhat smaller) event this fall to enhance the garden with additional one-of-a-kind species and do a seasonal garden tune-up. Special thanks to Carla Quimson and The Nat Garden Corps Volunteers who will care for the new plants and get them established during the next few months.
