You have a beautiful garden, hoovb, and your roses are simply awesome! How on earth do you keep up!? I've participated in a "Going native" garden tour for the past 3 years. It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I've also found that folks are very respectful of your plants and I've never had any plant trampled or damaged. And best of all, the visitors overlook your imperfections. LOL wanda

I agree! We have attended her tour for many years and have been blessed by the folks who open up their gardens for viewing. Bring your camera! - Mike Here is a link that might be useful: Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour

Hi Lisa. As far as meetings for a gardening club in your area, I suggest contacting some nurseries in your area or posting something on the California forum. Over on the California forum, on the "Exchanges" side you will often see someone from the southern CA area organizing a plant swap. However, most of these take place in the spring and early summer. You just have to check in on the CA Exchange forum now and then. I've been to several and hope to host one as soon as I retire. Plant swaps have been held in Redlands, Costa Mesa, Norco, Buena Park, Fontana, south Orange County and probably elsewhere. The "Coversations" side of the same forum will also sometimes get folks together to raid a designated nursery. Additionally, there are garden tours in the southern CA area every spring. You just have to keep your eyes and ears open for them. One of my favorite spring garden tours is the MaryLou Heard Memorial Garden Tour which usually occurs in May. It's free and you can contact someone at this site for more information: MaryLou Heard Memorial Garden Tour Stella_Blue (Mary) of the GW organized the below group a couple of years ago for locals but there isn't much activity on the board now. Here is a link that might be useful: Southern CA Fun Gardening Club

What a beautiful setting--on a slope with a lake. Immaculately mowed. I think I would put a terrace of big rocks (not those whitish ones) near the top of the slope. (Maybe rocks are not so easy to get in that area.) I can see the Tar and Feather parentage in River Wind. Paris Overture has nice violet plum color; had never heard of that one.