Gardening Event

 . A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I attended an event sponsored by EuroAmerican Propagators/Proven Winners Nursery and Garden Compass Magazine. Whoever organized this should go into meeting planning, because it was fabulous! We got to the EuroAmerican site in Bonsall in the morning, and were greeted by several smiling faces that showed us where to park. Considering some of the other events we've attended that had us driving in circles on dirt roads, and incorrect directions even via Map Quest...this was a real treat. Then a shuttle drove us the short distance to the garden area. This is a business that is normally not open to the public--it sells plants to vendors who then market to the public. We were served doughnuts (the good kind, not the cheesy cheap ones. These were apple fritters and the other good ones), and coffee. The Garden Compass is a local San Diego magazine and also a weekend radio program that broadcasts in parts of California. The hosts were conducting their show, so one could view the process (it's a call-in format where viewers ask gardening-related questions to gardening experts Bruce and Sharon Asakawa, John Bagnasco, and Bryan Main) or wander the area. We heard several wonderful speakers, and in the middle of all this, they stopped and served us an yummy catered lunch (even cheesecake brownies for dessert!) and throughout the day all the free sodas, juice, or water that you could want! During lunch they were detail-oriented enough to give us background music by a guitar player (when I find his card, I'll post that info). And the entire day (speakers, tour of the nursery, breakfast and lunch) for just a $10 entry fee! It was amazing. And they didn't even have plants for sale or anything--it was more of a public service. The final speaker joked, "Heaven forbid we'd want to make money or anything!" They could have sold a ton of plants and books.


 There were plants set up all over...ones I had never seen before, plus new varieties in the green houses. I love the color of these leaves. My notes say this is called Rustic Orange Coleus.


 
A how-to seminar was given on Savvy Succulents and the Original Living Wreath, by Margee Rader. Several months ago I posted an exhibit Margee had done at the San Diego CountyFair, where she covered furniture in succulents. In the seminar she demonstrated how to make and care for a wreath. I never used to like succulents, but I have now changed my impression.


 Here are three displayed items of Margee's work. A table top, a chair, and a candleabra...all covered in living succulents. If cared for, watered, and pruned, these will last years! She also had a roof covered in succulents--a cute and unusual feature for a garden shed or an arbor.


 
Close-up detail of all the wonderful variety of succulents used on the table. Such fun texture!


 

The first speaker of the event was John Greenlee. He talked about The Meadow Revolution--meaning to replace your water hungry lawns with more drought tolerant meadows. They are really beautiful, and can still be walked upon if you choose the appropriate grasses. Plants are chosen to suit your needs, color scheme, etc. The meadows are more expensive to install than sod, but are much more friendly to your wallet in the long run.


 


 

Next topic: Tasty Treaures--Heirloom Tomatoes and Lettuces by Steve Goto. Steve was kind enough to brings tons of tomato, pepper, and lettuce plants that he GAVE AWAY! Like I said before, it was an amazing event.


 Look at how beautiful even a small space can be. In the foreground is a section of triangular arrangements of several lettuce varieties.

The final speaker of the day (and ALL the the speakers were witty and fun and interesting), was Josh Schneider. Josh works as liason between Proven Winners and Garden Compass, and is introducing their new plant line. Actually, he's director of Sales and Marketing for EuroAmerican, writes articles for the Garden Compass magazine, and had a gardening show in the DIY network...so he must be a workaholic. How cool to love your job so much though. And an incredible job it is!Josh has the job of the century, in that he travels the world seeking out unknown plant species. Can you imagine? He said whole lines of plants might be propagated from a slip he discovered growing up from a pile of elephant dung in Africa. He flies all over the world...Costa Rica and South Africa especially. Wow.