Summer's in the air in Sonoma County. Time to get a little dirty, while soaking up the sun.
June 1: Native Plant Garden Volunteer Day at Laguna Environmental Center, Santa Rosa: Calling all experienced gardeners! The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation is hosting a volunteer day to help plant, weed, prune, and cleanup their native plant gardens at the Laguna Environmental Center. The gardens include wildflowers, grasses, sedges, herbaceous plants and heritage fruit trees. Snacks and tools will be provided, but bring water, gloves and friends - and be prepared to get dirty! 9am-12pm, 707-527-9277 x 100, lagunafoundation.org. (Photo by John Burgess)
June 2-July 28: Spring Harvest Market & Plant Sale at Sonoma Garden Park, Sonoma: During summer, Sonoma Garden Park opens its barn doors to the public, offering the bounty of the community-maintained garden. Fresh farm eggs, olive oil, lettuce, bok choy, radishes, kale, cilantro, salad mix, and more can be found here. Everything is organically and sustainably grown on the 6.1 acres (except the olive oil, which is from down the street). UC Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions. 9am, 707-996-4883, sonomagardenpark.org.
June 3: Spring Blooms at Viansa, Sonoma: Learn how to create beautiful, seasonal flower arrangements - with a splash of wine to aid inspiration. The workshop is lead by Alice's Table, a women-owned floral arrangement experience company that was featured on Shark Tank. Guests will be provided aprons, flowers, and all the tools necessary to leave with a colorful arrangement. Viansa staff will be pouring wine, offering discounts to workshop attendees. $65 per person. Tickets required, alicestable.com. (Courtesy photo)
June 4: Water-Wise Habitat Gardening for Pollinators, Petaluma Regional Library, Petaluma: Join local experts from the UC Master Gardener Program, Native Songbird Care & Conversation, and the Sonoma County Beekeepers Association for an informative event on how to create a water-wise, pollinator-friendly garden. You'll learn how to incorporate nectar and larval food sources into your garden, how to create habitats for pest-controlling songbirds, and how to provide four-season flowering plants for bees. After the talk, enjoy a tour of the new library garden. Free. 6pm-8pm, 707-789-9664, Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma, dailyacts.org.
June 13: Tour the Meditation Garden at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, Freestone: Join Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary founder Michael Stusser and tree pruning expert Michael Alliger on a 1.5 hour tour of Osmosis' Meditation Garden, which was designed in the style of gardens in Kyoto, Japan. The tour will include an overview of the Zen themes used in the design and materials of the garden. After the tour, enjoy a cedar enzyme foot bath, tea and snacks. $25 per person. Tickets required, Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, osmosis.com.
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June 16: Grow What You Love with Author Emily Murphy, Sebastopol: Gardener Emily Murphy will speak about her newly published book, Grow What You Love: 12 Food Plant Families to Change Your Life, at Copperfield Books in Sebastopol. Murphy's book focuses on how to fit gardening in to your everyday life, and grow plants to nourish yourself and your family. Free, 7 pm, Copperfield Books, 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol, copperfieldbooks.com.
July 1-30: Wine & Lavender Soirée at Matanzas Creek Winery, Santa Rosa: Wine Country visitors and locals alike have been flocking to Matanzas Creek for decades to see the winery's expansive lavender gardens. To celebrate the end of lavender season, the winery hosts a soirée featuring a progressive wine tasting that takes guests through their estate gardens. Sip on Sauvignon Blanc while the bees happily enjoy their own nectar from the fragrant lavender flowers. Tickets start at $10. 707-528-6464, 6097 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa, matanzacreek.com. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
July 6: Tour the Rose Gardens at Garden Valley Ranch, Petaluma: Open to the public on select days, Garden Valley Ranch grows fragrant and colorful roses that are so coveted Martha Stewart visited once. Tour the rose fields while guides highlight special rose varieties, and learn about the history of the property, which features a historic house, a collection of carousel animals, and a working nursery. $10 per adult, $5 per child, children under 4 are free. Tickets required, 707-792-0377, gardenvalley.com. (Courtesy photo)
July 8: 17th Annual Art & Garden Festival, Petaluma: Celebrate the the beauty of art and gardening at the 17th Annual Art & Garden Festival in downtown Petaluma. Over 100 booths will showcase fine art and horticultural wares as offered by local gardeners, farmers, and artisans. After discovering the right gem for your garden, enjoy food and drinks from local vendors and live music. For the little gardener in your life, there will be a kids corner chock-full of activities. Free. petalumadowntown.com
July 14: Kendall-Jackson Farm-To-Table Dinner Series, Fulton: Garden geeks with a taste for wine can explore the organic vegetable gardens at Kendall-Jackson Estate during the winery's farm-to-table dinner series. For each event, the winery teams up with a local food purveyor to showcase sustainable foods, paired with organic seasonal produce from the winery's gardens. An expansive outdoor table sets the stage for a multi-course sunset meal paired with Kendall-Jackson wines. July's event features pork and Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms paired with veggie-based dishes. Now through October. $125-$175 per person. Reservations required, kj.com. (Courtesy photo)
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July 21: Essence of the Garden Walk at Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Glen Ellen: Experience one of the world's largest collections of Asian plants with guide Kathleen Aspenns. As you explore the expansive non-profit garden in Glen Ellen, Aspenns will tell you about the plants, ponds, and flowers that cross your path. $12 per person or $10 for members. Reservations recommended, 12841 Highway 12, Glen Ellen, quarryhillbg.com. (Photo by Christopher Chung)
July 27: Sunrise with Sunflowers at Modini Mayacamas Preserves, Healdsburg: Start your day by watching serpentine sunflowers open their faces to the early morning sun. Audubon Canyon Ranch Specialist Dave Self will lead a hike that takes participants through the ridgeline separating the watersheds of Sausal Creek and Little Sulphur Creek, an area that includes serpentine sunflowers and numerous other wildflowers. Reservations required, 707-433-8184 ext 503, david.self@egret.org, egret.org. (Photo by Erik Castro)
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Summer is here (soon). Flowers are in full bloom, pollinators are doing what they do best, and the squash is slowly taking over your raised bed. To encourage summer gardening, Sonoma County serves up a series of colorful events June through July. Click through the above gallery for details.
Feed your hunger for fresh locally grown foods with this guide to Sonoma County farmers markets.
