On Thursday the 8th the Men's Garden Club of Santa Rosa have chartered a bus to visit the show. We are anxious to see if it is an alternative to the San Francisco show. Al

What the webpage said it was going to be different from the San Francisco show, and more eco friendly. The San Francisco had ceased to interest me, but I always think about the dealers and finding a interesting plant.

It's about time! I lived in Seattle before moving to Sacramento, and they actually sold PLANTS and fruit trees at their garden shows. I went every year to save on shipping from the major growers. I was very disappointed moving here to find all they sold at Sacramento garden shows are mops and rakes, and hottubs of course!

We'll see if it measures up...

Carla in Sac

Al, I was thinking about going on Thursday, but I am worried all the dealers might not be arrived and set up on Thursday. If I got on Saturday that is the main day, but it will be more crowded. It's a long drive, and it's hard to pick the best day.

Hey while you're in town check out the plant sale at the UC Davis Arboretum on April 10!

Here is a link that might be useful: UC Davis Arboretum web site

I can not grow any of those CA natives in San Francisco, there is not enough heat. It's a completely different climate in Sacramento compared to San Francisco.

We saw the show yesterday. People go to garden shows for different reasons, with different expectations. The display gardens did not show anything new to me. Not being crowded with people, and being able to speak with the designers was a nice change. The forums were interesting, but I think focused too much on cut flower arrangements, just not my passion. Most venders seemed to be feeling their way with a new show and trying to decide how much effort to invest. Refreshment stands were limited but trying hard, and the food was good but limited in choices. My only purchase was a Japanese weeder with a long handle able to be used from an upright position. For the last 20 years I have been bugging tool venders to make one. This was a real Japanese hardware company from Berkley, tools straight from Japan, but personnel helpful and fluent in English as well as Japanese. Parking was close by and free, weather was perfect. The friendly atmosphere was similar to when the SF show first started on the piers of the old fort Mason. Very affordable and a pleasant day away from my own garden. Al

It sounds like a good show. Thanks for letting me know. I am not that interested in cut flowers either. I am interesting in unusual plants. I guess the plant selection did not move you to purchase?

I have a sort of upright weeding tool, but it is kind of hard on my back if I use it too much. It's the sort of thing you have to work up to like weight training. The more compost I add the easier it is to work the soil standing up, but if you add too much the plants don't have a secure rooting and are prone to blowing over or falling down.

I have been thinking about buying some exotic hydrangeas and a Woodwardia fern. Some of the Woodwardia are CA natives, but some are from Asia. I am wondering what would be best. I also like to look for usual bulbs that may do well for me. I don't have any luck with tulips, but some crocus and freesia work. It's all about the shopping. There is also a big nursery in Sacramento called Capital Nursery and they have a lot of inventory.

Parking was free! Well THAT'S different, usually it is now $10 for anything going on there, that's how they make their money.
I'll try and go Sunday if I get some work accomplished today and Sat. I'd love a Japanese weeder!

Carla in Sac

Sunday is the last day, things could be sold out. I would go Saturday if you have a choice.

Parking for our bus was free. Maybe they charged for cars! Plants that were purchased by others were mostly tropical, Plumeria cuttings and orchids,tuberose bulbs. Monrovia was one of the sponsors and had plants there but I did not notice them being sold. A large booth was selling herbs, a quick look seemed expensive for plants easily and quickly grown from seed. Those of us in the Santa Rosa area with the Hall of Flowers every year, sporting 12 large theme gardens at the Sonoma County Fair would tend to be under whelmed by most of the display gardens. Everyone was friendly and I enjoyed talking with several of the exhibitors about their gardens construction details. Al

Parking for cars is NOT free. I spoke with the gentleman gathering fees and he told me that he's worked there for years, and he can't ever remember an event having free parking...

Call me cheap, but I couldn't imagine paying $25 total (cash only) just to look around, so I left.

I'll run over to Capitol Nursery later today and spend my 25 bucks on the few vegetable starts that I still need.

Luckily, I live fairly close, so it wasn't a huge waste of time...

I was wrong parking was not free, but I thought it was worth it. I really enjoyed the lectures most of all. I don't think I would have gone for the displays. I liked the cut flowers, but they were sort of dried up today. They will be more dry on Sunday.

The most notable of the lectures was one on native plants. I am providing a link to the speakers website. First of all California native don't like soil with compost, drip irrigation or reclaimed water. This was illustrated in the slide show presentation. The main idea is you water the California natives a little bit and they protect your home from fire. But, of course they like heat which is why I can never be successful with them in San Francisco. My soil is actually a sand dune and totally lifeless and unusable without compost. But, it's interesting to learn how California Natives work, and why they are better then Mediterranean Natives. California Natives can get by on much less water. Our climate must be harsher then Mediterranean Europe. I think Rosemary is ugly and boring hedge.

Some of the other speakers were really interesting as well, but I can not say about if Sunday would be worth attending since they will be all different speakers. You really can not tell if you enjoy the lecture until you sit in on it. I did not buy anything from the dealers. I don't know if I would go again, however, it was expensive, and it was not very crowded. The cover was not so bad, but the 10 dollar parking was a deal killer. I agree with that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cal Owned Native Plants

I certainly don't blame calistoga for the free parking info; I heard the same thing from a different source also...

I spoke with a friend that would have gone with me on Saturday if he didn't have to work. He went on Sunday instead and proclaimed it a waste of his time and possibly of mine.

He told me that the displays and sales area wouldn't have intrigued me. Apparently the sales booths consisted of at least 3 orchid growers, a couple of tropical growers with rather ordinary fare, a geranium booth and an herb/vegetable booth with very expensive prices and not a lot of selection. There was apparently a French heirloom seed booth with packets of seeds that were not suited to the Sacramento area, but might have had some pertinence for the Bay Area.

The lectures might have been interesting if you happened to be there at the right time, but I've attended many a Sacramento Native Plant Society meeting and probably have heard many of the specifics already...

Maybe, in a few more years, the show will gain it's legs and have more interesting booths for those of us that aren't novices...

I don't know if the show will find it's legs. It was not crowded. I assume if it flops they won't have it again. But, I guess it's better to have a show then not have a show. I used to attend Barbie doll shows. Then the economy collapsed, and they don't have the shows.

I agree the booths were not worth it. The lectures were good however. I only got so tired, I could not take in more then three hours of lecture in one day. I would have gone back, but the drive is too far, and one would have to pay the parking again each day.

I saw all the booths you mentioned. The wildflowers seeds, one could get those anywhere. The herbs in little pots. The orchids. I don't know why they did not have dealers with just basic plants. I took a few photos of what I thought was interesting at the show.

Here is a link that might be useful: My photos from the show