Upcoming Sharing Gardens

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• Rancho Peñasquitos Sharing Garden

  • When
    Sat, April 18, 2026
  •  
    9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Location
    Rancho Peñasquitos
  • Spaces left
    23

  Register

  Dawn Standke has been a Master Gardener since 2005 and has put her considerable horticultural skills - and a great deal of passion over 31 years – into creating an urban garden that takes advantage of San Diego’s mild climate to produce an abundance of delicious food and pollinator-attracting flowers all year. Her 1/3-acre pie-shaped lot at the end of a cul-de-sac is largely hidden from the street. After walking through a small low-water front garden you turn a corner to find a deck/potting area densely shaded by a South African plum tree. Mama bobcat has reared kittens for five years in a row under this deck (https://youtu.be/5seuQrOa4I8). Continue around the corner to the large back yard. Dawn’s handyman Jose has created many garden structures that allow her to grow a wide range of fruits and vegetables in different ways. The wood and hardware cloth “Tomato Fortress” holds tomato plants growing in hydroponic Dutch buckets, well-protected from birds and 4-footed marauders. Next you will see the outdoor kitchen, complete with a wood burning fireplace. Turn to your right and climb the “stairway to heaven” that will take you up what was once a steep slope to see the blueberry cage, flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables. There are many varieties of citrus, mulberries, a white sapote, passion fruit, tree spinach, Surinam cherries, guavas, pomegranates, a cherimoya and other rare fruit. Come down the stairs to visit the mermaid in the pergola, then continue on to see the “horizontal hydroponics” where Dawn grows edibles with small root systems.

  Visitors are welcome to bring home a cutting of her purple-flowered Gregg’s Mistflower, the number one butterfly-attracting plant in her yard. (Dawn jokes that she needs butterfly air traffic control for all the butterflies visiting the mistflower!) (https://youtu.be/RhQEJ8zZ5Pw?si=Gkkx7SUtbeCw07b5).

  Dawn has written a number of gardening articles for the San Diego Union-Tribune, including most recently one about low-water flowering trees for San Diego County (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/10/garden-mastery-wow-what-is-that-tree/).

  Address and google map link are included in the registration confirmation email.

  
  

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• Rancho Peñasquitos Sharing Garden-2nd Tour

  • When
    Sat, April 18, 2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    Rancho Peñasquitos
  • Spaces left
    21

  Register

  Dawn Standke has been a Master Gardener since 2005 and has put her considerable horticultural skills - and a great deal of passion over 31 years – into creating an urban garden that takes advantage of San Diego’s mild climate to produce an abundance of delicious food and pollinator-attracting flowers all year. Her 1/3-acre pie-shaped lot at the end of a cul-de-sac is largely hidden from the street. After walking through a small low-water front garden you turn a corner to find a deck/potting area densely shaded by a South African plum tree. Mama bobcat has reared kittens for five years in a row under this deck (https://youtu.be/5seuQrOa4I8). Continue around the corner to the large back yard. Dawn’s handyman Jose has created many garden structures that allow her to grow a wide range of fruits and vegetables in different ways. The wood and hardware cloth “Tomato Fortress” holds tomato plants growing in hydroponic Dutch buckets, well-protected from birds and 4-footed marauders. Next you will see the outdoor kitchen, complete with a wood burning fireplace. Turn to your right and climb the “stairway to heaven” that will take you up what was once a steep slope to see the blueberry cage, flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables. There are many varieties of citrus, mulberries, a white sapote, passion fruit, tree spinach, Surinam cherries, guavas, pomegranates, a cherimoya and other rare fruit. Come down the stairs to visit the mermaid in the pergola, then continue on to see the “horizontal hydroponics” where Dawn grows edibles with small root systems.

  Visitors are welcome to bring home a cutting of her purple-flowered Gregg’s Mistflower, the number one butterfly-attracting plant in her yard. (Dawn jokes that she needs butterfly air traffic control for all the butterflies visiting the mistflower!) (https://youtu.be/RhQEJ8zZ5Pw?si=Gkkx7SUtbeCw07b5).

  Dawn has written a number of gardening articles for the San Diego Union-Tribune, including most recently one about low-water flowering trees for San Diego County (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/10/garden-mastery-wow-what-is-that-tree/).

  Address and google map link are included in the registration confirmation email.

  
  

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• Rancho Peñasquitos Sharing Garden-3rdTour

  • When
    Sat, April 18, 2026
  •  
    11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    Rancho Peñasquitos
  • Spaces left
    9

  Register

  Dawn Standke has been a Master Gardener since 2005 and has put her considerable horticultural skills - and a great deal of passion over 31 years – into creating an urban garden that takes advantage of San Diego’s mild climate to produce an abundance of delicious food and pollinator-attracting flowers all year. Her 1/3-acre pie-shaped lot at the end of a cul-de-sac is largely hidden from the street. After walking through a small low-water front garden you turn a corner to find a deck/potting area densely shaded by a South African plum tree. Mama bobcat has reared kittens for five years in a row under this deck (https://youtu.be/5seuQrOa4I8). Continue around the corner to the large back yard. Dawn’s handyman Jose has created many garden structures that allow her to grow a wide range of fruits and vegetables in different ways. The wood and hardware cloth “Tomato Fortress” holds tomato plants growing in hydroponic Dutch buckets, well-protected from birds and 4-footed marauders. Next you will see the outdoor kitchen, complete with a wood burning fireplace. Turn to your right and climb the “stairway to heaven” that will take you up what was once a steep slope to see the blueberry cage, flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables. There are many varieties of citrus, mulberries, a white sapote, passion fruit, tree spinach, Surinam cherries, guavas, pomegranates, a cherimoya and other rare fruit. Come down the stairs to visit the mermaid in the pergola, then continue on to see the “horizontal hydroponics” where Dawn grows edibles with small root systems.

  Visitors are welcome to bring home a cutting of her purple-flowered Gregg’s Mistflower, the number one butterfly-attracting plant in her yard. (Dawn jokes that she needs butterfly air traffic control for all the butterflies visiting the mistflower!) (https://youtu.be/RhQEJ8zZ5Pw?si=Gkkx7SUtbeCw07b5).

  Dawn has written a number of gardening articles for the San Diego Union-Tribune, including most recently one about low-water flowering trees for San Diego County (https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/10/garden-mastery-wow-what-is-that-tree/).

  Address and google map link are included in the registration confirmation email.

  
  

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• Rancho Bernardo Sharing Garden

  • When
    Sat, April 25, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Rancho Bernardo
  • Spaces left
    12

  Register

  Sue Mansour’s decades of gardening expertise and enthusiasm are apparent the moment you see her front garden, a curbside succulent tapestry set against a low stucco wall. Located on a quiet street near our monthly meeting place in Rancho Bernardo, this richly-planted strip hints at what isto come - a complex series of garden rooms filled with exotic (and mostly edible) treasures. Sue was born in Iraq, earned her horticultural degree in Baghdad, and spent years in charge of 200 hundred people whose job it was to beautify that city with climate-appropriate plants. Today, she does most of the gardening herself, and her driveway is lined with several kinds of flowering pomegranate trees growing alongside bougainvillea and palms, “a common Iraqi combination.” As you approach the house there is a peaceful garden with the sound of running water, a haven for her husband, a poet, who likes to sit here and write in virtual seclusion from the street. Nearer to the house dozens of planters hold a huge array of succulents plus ornamental treasures Sue has collected for years. As you enter the back garden a tapestry of thriving trees, shrubs, vines, and annuals greets you. There is a living fence of carefully tended grape vines which Sue grows as much for the leaves she cooks with as for the grapes. Every tree has a story, many linked to her Middle Eastern heritage. There are four kinds of mulberry trees, including one that bears three kinds of fruit. Raised beds are sown with seeds for Iraqi veggies. Fruit trees supply her with produce virtually all year – loquats, cherimoya, white sapote, apricot, kumquat, figs, dates, mango, tamarind, persimmon, jujube, Surinam cherry, apples, blood orange, and more. Passion fruit vines grow enthusiastically on a large trellis, and several pots of blueberries are an ongoing experiment to find the perfect variety for her microclimate. Hundreds of nasturtium plants provide both bright color and edible leaves, flowers, and seeds (which Sue has pickled). In the sunniest spot there are roses, and against the house is a shady dining table from which to feast your eyes on this abundance. Be prepared to get some cuttings and/or seeds pressed into your hands by our generous hostess.

  Address and Google map link are included in the registration confirmation email. - In case of rain, the event will be canceled and rescheduled for a different date -

  
  

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• Rancho Bernardo Sharing Garden - 2nd tour

  • When
    Sat, April 25, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Rancho Bernardo
  • Spaces left
    22

  Register

  Sue Mansour’s decades of gardening expertise and enthusiasm are apparent the moment you see her front garden, a curbside succulent tapestry set against a low stucco wall. Located on a quiet street near our monthly meeting place in Rancho Bernardo, this richly-planted strip hints at what isto come - a complex series of garden rooms filled with exotic (and mostly edible) treasures. Sue was born in Iraq, earned her horticultural degree in Baghdad, and spent years in charge of 200 hundred people whose job it was to beautify that city with climate-appropriate plants. Today, she does most of the gardening herself, and her driveway is lined with several kinds of flowering pomegranate trees growing alongside bougainvillea and palms, “a common Iraqi combination.” As you approach the house there is a peaceful garden with the sound of running water, a haven for her husband, a poet, who likes to sit here and write in virtual seclusion from the street. Nearer to the house dozens of planters hold a huge array of succulents plus ornamental treasures Sue has collected for years. As you enter the back garden a tapestry of thriving trees, shrubs, vines, and annuals greets you. There is a living fence of carefully tended grape vines which Sue grows as much for the leaves she cooks with as for the grapes. Every tree has a story, many linked to her Middle Eastern heritage. There are four kinds of mulberry trees, including one that bears three kinds of fruit. Raised beds are sown with seeds for Iraqi veggies. Fruit trees supply her with produce virtually all year – loquats, cherimoya, white sapote, apricot, kumquat, figs, dates, mango, tamarind, persimmon, jujube, Surinam cherry, apples, blood orange, and more. Passion fruit vines grow enthusiastically on a large trellis, and several pots of blueberries are an ongoing experiment to find the perfect variety for her microclimate. Hundreds of nasturtium plants provide both bright color and edible leaves, flowers, and seeds (which Sue has pickled). In the sunniest spot there are roses, and against the house is a shady dining table from which to feast your eyes on this abundance. Be prepared to get some cuttings and/or seeds pressed into your hands by our generous hostess.

  Address and Google map link are included in the registration confirmation email.

  - In case of rain, the event will be canceled and rescheduled for a different date -
  

  
  

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• A Day at the Huntington

  • When
    Wed, May 06, 2026
  •  
    7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Huntington Gardens
  • Spaces left
    2
  • Registered
    32 registrants

  Register

  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!        
    

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• DATE CHANGE! Elfin Forest Sharing Garden

  • When
    Sat, May 09, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Elfin Forest, Escondido
  • Spaces left
    45

  Register

  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.

  

  
  

  
  

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