20th anniversary of ‘Bringing Back the Natives’ garden and green home showcase this weekend

In-person Garden Tour: May 4 & 5 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free with registration but donations welcomed.

See how 60 of your neighbors have greened their gardens with California native plants, and learn how they have electrified their homes. Free. Registration is required HERE.

In-person Tour

Saturday, May 4, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Bayside gardens)
Sunday, May 5, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Inland gardens)

The award-winning in-person invites registrants to visit more than 60 beautiful, water-conserving native plant gardens. All of the homes have native plant gardens; 20 will be sharing their green home features, including solar
panels and batteries, induction ranges, heat pumps, and more. Registrants will learn how design a native plant garden for color and interest throughout the year, garden for wildlife, lower their water bills, protect their family’s health and the environment by gardening without using pesticides, and electrify their homes.

What’s special about California native plants? They are adapted to our soil and climate, naturally water conserving, and easy to care for. California native plants are better than non-native plants when it comes to attracting native birds, butterflies, and other forms of wildlife. And, as the gardens on the tour show, these lovely gardens display a sense of place that is uniquely Californian.

*Scenes from a Piedmont native plant garden tour* *(from https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/)*

A free tour—that needs your support!

The Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour has been free since its inception in 2005. However, given decreasing public agency support in this era of budget cutting, we find it necessary to turn to you, our participants and supporters, to help us keep the tour going. Please take advantage of the opportunity to donate to the garden tour. The suggested contribution is $15 per person.

Garden Addresses

About 10 days before the in-person tour three PDFs will be e-mailed to registrants. One will contain addresses and a map that shows the relative locations of the Bayside gardens; another will contain addresses and a map showing the relative locations of the Inland gardens. The third PDF is a “tickets” page. Tour visitors will need to print out this “tickets” page (print multiple copies if you will need more than 20 tickets) and bring the tickets page(s) with them on the day of the tour. Each person must submit a paper ticket in order to enter a garden. Don’t have a printer? Just make your own “admit one” tickets. (Yes; really. It’s the only solution we could come up with.)

Schedule

The tour starts at the garden of your choice at 10 a.m. Visit as many gardens as you like before 5 p.m. Do not arrive before 10 a.m. or stay after 5 p.m. We recommend selecting the gardens you would like to visit by reviewing the garden descriptions and talks before setting out for the day. You can plan your route by referring to the maps that will show the relative locations of the gardens, then using an on-line mapping program for directions.

Tour Etiquette

* Please follow standard parking etiquette—do not block driveways or double park. Watch for special parking instructions at select gardens.
* Children must be closely supervised by an accompanying adult. Strollers are not permitted in the gardens.
* Stay on marked paths and wear sturdy shoes.
* Do not pick flowers, fruits or vegetables, or take cuttings.
* Restroom facilities are not available at the home gardens.
* Smoking is not permitted.
*Leave pets at home; they are not permitted in tour gardens.