San Diego Horticultural Society upcoming events

Poway Sharing Garden (Sat, May 02, 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Ida Rigby and John Sturla's Poway garden is returning to its roots. The original vision was to have as natural a garden as possible with a distinct sense of place and to have it blend with its setting, a borrow landscape of a disturbed, but native, hillside. In the fall of l992 Tree of Life Nursery brought down a truckload of California natives. The Englemann Oaks, Toyons, mountain mahogany and buckwheats are from that original shipment. Then, of course, as Australian and South African plants along with Mediterranean natives became more available they lured Ida into expanding her vision. It became a Mediterranean latitudes garden. The aging garden now needs editing and replanting, so last fall Ida returned to focusing on natives. A unique feature of the garden is the use of rocks excavated on the property or wheelbarrowed in by Ida from neighbors' properties. These local stones line the gravel paths and form the wall behind and coping around the pond. Another feature of he garden is an emphasis on aromatic plants. You can brush by a Southwestern tagetes limmonii, a California artemisia or a South African salvia or just nip a leaf and crush it. The garden welcomes wildlife. Great blue herons, egrets, raccoons and mallards visit the pond. Coyotes enjoy the loquats. Buckwheats and bladder pods attract local insects. Dragonfly larvae leave their exoskeletons on the stems of water lilies. A nuttall's woodpecker visits a massive, 30 year old palo verde. The Cooper's hawk leaves a perfect ring of mockingbird feathers under pomegranate boughs. So, come and wander the gravel paths of this evolving garden.

• Strudy walking shoes are a must. • No restroom access.

Poway Sharing Garden - 2nd Tour (Sat, May 02, 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 19:15:00 GMT

Second Session

Register for 12:15 AM - 2:00 PM

• Sturdy walking shoes are a must. • No restroom access.

A Day at the Huntington (Wed, May 06, 2026)

Wed, 06 May 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Bus Tour

Huntington Botanical Gardens

Hop aboard our private motorcoach for a full-day excursion to the Huntington Botanical Gardens at the height of Spring in San Marino. Immerse yourself in the 207-acre estate that features over a dozen specialized botanical garden. The gardens themselves are a breathtaking exhibition of biodiversity, with over 130 acres of themed spaces that transport guests to different corners of the world. Highlights include the iconic Desert Garden, home to one of the largest collections of cacti and succulents, and the serene Japanese Garden, featuring traditional architecture and a moon bridge. You can also explore the Liu Fang Yuan (Garden of Flowing Fragrance, The Chinese Garden), which boasts one of the largest Chinese-style gardens outside of China, and the historic Rose Garden, which traces the evolution of roses through centuries of cultivation. The Japanese Heritage Shōya House is a new, 320-year-old historic home at that opened in October 2023. The 3,000-square-foot 18th-century residence was relocated from Marugame, Japan, and features a newly constructed gatehouse, courtyard, and kitchen garden on a 2-acre site. Each garden offers a distinct atmosphere, ranging from the lush, tropical canopy of the Jungle Garden to the aromatic, meticulously labeled displays of the Herb Garden.

Feel free to go it alone with a buddy or stay with a group with your tour leader Kathy Ascher, San Diego Master Gardener, who will lead you through some of the more iconic spaces on the grounds.

Lunch is on your own at one of the Huntington Dining Options .

Afterwards you have the afternoon to explore the rest of the Huntington Botanical Gardens or Museums on your own.

We'll head back to San Diego in late afternoon, arriving early evening.

Transportation: Private motorcoach with small bathroom. Roundtrip from Old Town San Diego Transit Center or I-5/La Costa Ave. Park and Ride.

Schedule:

Depart Old Town Transit Center 7:30am, arrive La Costa Transit 8:00am
Depart La Costa 8:15am, arrive Huntington 10:00am
Tour Huntington from 10am to 3:30pm
Depart Huntington 4:00pm, arrive La Costa 6:45pm
Depart La Costa 7pm, arrive Old Town 7:30pm

Tour Details: Arrive/start group tour of the Palm/Dessert Garden.

Balance of day until 3:30 PM at leisure to tour other gardens and museums on your own.

Lunch: On own at Rose Garden Tea Room House (reservations required), coffee shop or Café; there is also the Chinese Garden Tea House. The Huntington does not allow you to bring in your own food. More Information

Water: Please bring your own refillable water bottle for the tour.

Reservations:

SDHS Members $98
Non-Members $120
Select Old Town or La Costa pickup location when registering.
Payment in full to reserve
$25 cancellation fee up to March 31st 2026; after then no refund, but you can find a substitute to take your place.
Full refund if trip cancelled due to inadequate signups.
Tour operates rain or shine!

Escondido Open Garden (Sat, May 09, 2026)

Sat, 09 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

A visit to Ray and Bonnie Brooks' Escondido garden is always a treat. Their garden was a horticultural hit on 2025 garden tour and this an opportunity to visit it in early summer. Ray, a former SDHS treasurer, is also known for his woodworking talents. Their property, spanning over an acre, features a diverse collection of plants from around the globe. The garden includes a large greenhouse/conservatory filled with numerous plants and a propagation area. Don't miss the Cycad Terraces. The garden displays over 100 cycads both in-ground and in pots. Take a moment to discover the charm of the Secret Garden where you can unwind beside a waterfall surrounded by Bromeliads, Tillandsias, Epiphyllums, Staghorn Ferns and more. This garden has something for everyone! As you explore, you'll encounter other attractions such as Dragon Trees, native and other waterwise plants, and an abundance of Grevilleas. Note that Ray collects over 2,000 gallons of rainwater for the landscape - check out the rain barrels!

• If parking near the house is full, there may a bit of a walk from your car to the house. Or come later in the day when there are fewer people!

• Carpooling is recommended.

• Wear a hat and sun protection.

• Comfortable shoes for walking recommended.

• Handicapped access to the garden is limited.

• Please no children under 10. Too many spiny plants.

CANCELED! Elfin Forest Sharing Garden (Sat, May 09, 2026)

Sat, 09 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

UPDATE

Dear Members,

We regret to inform you that the Sharing Garden tour scheduled for Saturday, May 9th has been cancelled. We understand this may be disappointing and appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

We hope to see you at another upcoming Sharing Garden event soon. Information about future events can be found on our website at sdhort.org.

Thank you for your continued interest and support.

Warm regards,
The Board

----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Members,

Due to the current weather forecast indicating high probability of rain this weekend, the Elfin Forest Sharing Garden event has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 9th.

Please make a note of the new date and look out for updated registration information, which will be sent out approximately two weeks prior (around 24th of April).

Thank you for your flexibility. We hope to see you at a Sharing Garden event soon.

The Board

Frank and Susan Oddo Sharing Garden

This 45-year-old garden on 2.5 acres in Elfin Forest is the creation of Frank and Susan Oddo. They named it Birdsong for its lush Mediterranean vegetation that attracts birds, bees and butterflies year-round. It features Aloes, Agaves, Aeoniums, Bromeliads, Tillandsias, Grevilleas, Leucadendrons, a giant thorn tree, a statuesque Queensland Bottle tree, garden art, and much more. Pathways, gazebos, benches, a koi pond, rock work, and a large deck to enjoy the view are part of its charm.

Bring your lunch and sit on the deck after your tour.
Bring a bag or box for give-away plants.
A walking stick for the hillside, while not steep, is useful.
Walking shoes are a must.
No restroom access due to septic.

Escondido Open Garden - 2nd Tour (Sat, May 09, 2026)

Sat, 09 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

• If parking near the house is full, there may a bit of a walk from your car to the house. Or come later in the day when there are fewer people!

• Carpooling is recommended.

• Wear a hat and sun protection.

• Comfortable shoes for walking recommended.

• Handicapped access to the garden is limited.

• Please no children under 10. Too many spiny plants.

May Meeting-If You Build it, They Might Come With Molly Rightmyer (Sat, May 16, 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 20:30:00 GMT

NEXT GENERAL MEETING:

If You Build it, They Might Come

With Molly Rightmyer

May 16, In-Person

Oasis, Rancho Bernardo

1:30p -3:30p

Online registration required -
SD Hort Member (and their guest) registration is FREE and
in-person non-member registration is $15.00

(Consider joining or renewing with the San Diego Horticultural Society for $30.00 and attend this meeting for free.)

Molly Rightmyer is a bee taxonomist who has become increasingly interested in native plants while attempting to increase the bee diversity of her home garden, an experience she wishes to share with other gardeners who hold similar aspirations.

She got her start as a freelance scientific illustrator here in southern California. She then worked with fossil turtles as an apprentice illustrator at the American Museum of Natural History, NY, eventually landing a job as scientific assistant for Hymenoptera, working with Jerry Rozen and Jim Carpenter. Under Jerry’s kind tutelage her interest in bees was sparked; she then attended the University of Kansas to work with Charles Michener, obtaining her PhD on the systematics of the parasitic bee Triepeolus in 2006. Afterwards, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian studying parasitic bees in the genus Nomada, and at the USDA Wild Bee Lab in Logan, UT, working on the systematics of the mason bee genus Osmia. Since returning to San Diego, Molly has shifted her focus to education as she homeschools her two daughters. She is currently a Research Associate at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

The Plant Forum has returned! So please bring some of your plants to share with members... All you have to do is:

1) Bring a cutting or a potted plant to a meeting.

2) BEFORE you leave home, take a minute to print out a slip of paper with the common and scientific name of the plant, where it is native to (if you know that), what city it is growing in, your name, and a couple of sentences about your experience with the plant.

Online registration required
Member (and one guest) registration is FREE
Non-member - join or renew your membership for $30.00 and attend all meetings free.

Bring plants or cuttings to share at the Plant Forum before the meeting.

Social hour and Plant Forum at 1:30 PM
Presentations at 2:00 PM
Location - San Diego Oasis
17170 Bernardo Center Dr. San Diego, CA 92128
In the Innovation Center on the lower level