Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden
Membership Application
Location: The 2/3 acre Garden is located in Polliwog Park on Peck Avenue, just north of Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Hours: Open to the public daily, 8:00 am until sundown Admission: Free
Volunteer: Every Friday from 9:30 - 11:30 am. No need to sign up, just drop in. This is the time when the garden is maintained. Appointments may be made for group projects on weekends. Non-gardening jobs are available as well. Contact Julie at the address posted at the bottom of this page.
Mission: Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden is a non-profit, all vounteer-run organization dedicated to promoting earth-friendly gardening techniques, encouraging the use of California native and drought-tolerant plants, and conserving our natural resources. The Garden is an outdoor classroom, providing a place of learning and enjoyment for the community.
Special Feature: Seven, two-foot
by three-foot state-park quality interpretive signs were installed in late
November of 2007. Together they offer an
educational self-guided tour through the garden covering topics such as California
Friendly Plants, Mulch and Compost, Water: Where it Comes From and Ways
to Conserve, Our Mediterranean Climate, Creatures of the
Garden, How to Create a Wildlife Habitat and Garden History. View an example of our signs on our blog below.
Community Participation: By saving water and promoting wildlife, earn your garden the MBBG SEAL OF APPROVAL. An attracative garden plaque can be earned by following these guidelines...
*Use plants adapted to this climate with low water needs
*Plant less than 25% turf
*Use mulch to prevent runoff and conserve water
*Provide food and shelter to promote wildlife
*Use a low water use irrigation system
If you think you qualify, contact us at Julie@manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or 310 546-1354
The Garden's BLOG: http://www.manhattan-beach-botanical-garden.blogspot.com Thanks to volunteer Mimi Andersen, our blog has been the talk of the town. It includes photos, videos and updates on happening in the Garden. Join in by posting your thoughts, what critters you've seen, or plants that impressed you.
Fun, Free
& Educational Classes Will Begin in Fall 2010 (see below for past schedule)
All classes meet at the MB Botanical Garden and are FREE, but prior registration is required for most. If the minimum number of sign-ups have not registered one-week prior to class, it may be canceled. Contact Julie to reserve a
spot at 310 546-1354 or Julie@manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org Leave your name, class
request, number of people attending and phone number when calling.
Water
Saving Irrigation Technology
March 27, 10-11 am
Mike
Garcia, Enviroscape
Review
the latest in water conserving irrigation products. Smart Irrigation
controllers, environmental sensors, high efficiency rotator sprinklers, and
drip irrigation are all readily available to help you reduce water usage.
Interactive displays and product literature will be provided.
Proper Tree Planting & Pruning Guidelines
April
3, 10-11 am
Greg Monfette, Certified Arborist & Registered Consulting
Arborist; Mike Garcia, Enviroscape
Just because a tree has been planted somewhere
doesn’t mean it’s the right place for it, or that it has been planted
properly. Greg and Mike will talk about
how to choose the right tree specimens for various locations; and how to
install and irrigate. Proper pruning of
small trees will also be demonstrated.
Identifying
& Attracting Our Local Wild Birds
April
10, 9:30-11 am
Bob
Shanman, Wild Birds Unlimited
Join
Bob on a casual bird walk through the Garden. Learn about spring
migration and the colorful birds commonly seen such as warblers, orioles,
tanagers, goldfinches, grosbeaks and many more. Learn how to identify
these birds and attract them to your yard. Bring binoculars.
Rain
Water Harvesting Systems
April 24, 10-11 am
Mike
Garcia, Enviroscape
Want
to conserve some of that “free” water that pours out of the sky? Mike has become somewhat of an expert in this
area and will share what he knows about rain barrels and water containment
systems. He’ll show you how they can be
used to catch rainwater for future use, such as drip irrigation or to feed a
waterfall.
How
to Compost in the Garden
May 1, 10-11 am
Lisa
Ryder, City Authorized Instructor
Composting...Nature’s way
to recycle your trash into a treasure for your garden. Learn how to set up composting and worm
bins, and the simple steps to recycling many organic materials such as yard
trimmings and food waste, while creating free organic fertilizer. ***Prior
registration not required***
Creating a Wildlife Habitat with Natives
May 8,
10-11 am
Tony Baker, Natural Landscapes
Learn
helpful native plant landscaping suggestions for your home garden that will
welcome beneficial birds, bugs, bees, butterflies and other critters. Find out
which California native plants will help you create a natural habitat garden.
Success with Succulents
May 15,
10-11 am
Patrick Moore, Local Succulent Enthusiast
There are 1000s of native cacti and succulents
that flourish in South Bay gardens. Patrick Moore, a native himself of
Manhattan Beach, has dozens of varieties in his garden and will share his
experience designing and maintaining these beauties. Cuttings of some of
his most unique varieties will be available for sale, proceeds of which will be
donated to MBBG.
Container
Gardening with Natives
May 22, 10-11 am
Jon Bell,
Deep Roots Garden Center
With
native plants you can create botanical beauty, restore a little ecological
balance, and bring winged friends to your corner of the world, even if you
have a small space. Jon will show you a beautiful array of specimens that
do well in pots and are available locally from his new nursery that recently
celebrated its grand opening. [The
former Annie’s Nursery.]
Getting
Rid of Your Water-Guzzling Lawn
May
29, 10-11 am
Mimi
Andersen, Garden Magic
Mike
Garcia, Enviroscape
Learn
ways to kill your lawn and ready your new space for fall
planting. Lessen your dependence on
imported water! Be part of the solution:
Remove your lawn and discover the aesthetic, economic and environmental benefits
that lawn substitutes can bring. Grass
substitutes, drought tolerant groundcovers and underground water systems will
be part of the discussion.
BE PART OF A GOOD
THING!
Seventeen years ago our all-volunteer organization created, and still
maintains, a lovely 2/3 acre demonstration garden in Polliwog Park that showcases
attractive drought-tolerant plants including many California natives. If you are not familiar with the latest MBBG
has to offer, we encourage you to learn more and support our many improved
outreach programs. Our spring and fall free
weekly gardening classes have been such a hit that we have increased them. The
Gardener’s Grapevine newsletter is even more educational thanks to our expanded
Board of Advisor contributors, who, by the way, also enable us to provide professional
earth-friendly gardening advice to our members and the community.
Be part of all this and more by joining our membership now. Or better yet, become a sponsor and enjoy
exclusive benefits including special events, discounts on plants and seeds,
free consultations, and recognition on site and in our widely distributed newsletter The Gardener's Grapevine . By sponsoring at the Sage level or greater (see
above) by April 15, 2010 you have the opportunity of receiving a free pass to
this year’s fun tour of a lovely historical garden (on a luxury bus, lunch
included.) Or, become a Buckwheat level
sponsor or greater during the months of April and May 2010 and receive a useful
garden gift from us.
Charlotte Marshall, MBBG President
Please mail to:
Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden – P.O. Box 1156, Manhattan Beach, CA
90267-1156
Name __________________________________________________
Telephone _________________
Mailing Address _____________________________________________________________________
Handy Resources on Drought Tolerant Plants (including CA natives) and Creating a Nature Habitat:
WEBSITES
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: www.bewaterwise.com
Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers
and Native Plants: www.theodorepayne.org
California Native Plant Society: www.cnps.org
California Landscape Contractors Association: http://www.clca.org/
BOOKS
California Native
Plants for the Garden By Carol Bornstein, David
Fross and Bart O’Brien
Designing California
Native Gardens By Glenn Keator and Alrie
Middlebrook
Western Garden Book By Sunset
Native Treasures By Nevin Smith
Care & Maintenance of Southern California Native Plant Gardens By Bart O'Brien, Betsey Landis, Ellen Mackey
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