Join the Water Conservation Garden’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, a FREE community event dedicated to honoring the Garden and everyone who has helped it flourish.
The Water Conservation Garden is hosting its anniversary celebration on Saturday, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As part of the celebration, the Heritage of the Americas Museum will host an Arts and Crafts Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in conjunction with the Garden. Highlights include arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, animal encounters, tours, raffles, and fun for all ages.
More than a dozen other local organizations are participating in the FUN including the Living Coast Discovery Center , San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society, SoCal Parrot Rescue, Free Flight, ZoVargo and more. Find a complete schedule of events below to help you plan you day. You can pre register here.
More beauty, less water.
The Water Conservation Garden is composed of a series of demonstration garden spaces that showcase drought-tolerant plants from around the world and the many different garden styles possible with this expansive plant palette.
The Water Conservation Garden features nearly six acres of displays showcasing water conservation through a series of beautiful themed gardens, such as a native plant garden and a vegetable garden, as well as how-to displays such as mulch and irrigation exhibits.
From hosting school field trips to yoga classes and weddings, the garden encourages individuals to engage in sustainable practices. Run mostly by volunteers, some with decades of service, the non-profit provides a perfect opportunity to revamp your yard sustainably, especially with San Diego’s dry climate. Located 15 minutes from El Cajon, this Rancho San Diego destination features exhibits on sustainable landscaping, water-saving techniques, and the region’s flora and fauna. The Garden also offers educational programs for all ages, including tours and workshops. Parking is free, and the museum is wheelchair accessible.
Aside from the educational aspect, the garden serves as a peaceful retreat from city life. It offers a serene space for reading, picnicking, or meditation, allowing visitors to unwind and reconnect with nature. Moreover, the garden’s gift shop showcases unique crafts to enhance your garden’s aesthetic, crafted by volunteers to support the garden’s operations. Whether young or old, the garden provides ample opportunities for hands-on learning and relaxation away from urban noise.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, November 9, 2024
GARDEN TALKS:
10:00am – 10:30am – Jose Rivera – Beneficial and Non-Beneficial Insects
This talk will cover five beneficial insects and five non-beneficial insects. Jose will have samples of each insect to pass around and will provide recommended treatment methods to manage the non-beneficial ones. It will be a fun, quick, and educational lecture for all attendees.
In 1980, the same year the Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture program was established, a group of first-year students decided to form a club with the intent to raise funds for scholarships and beautify the campus. Thus, the Cuyamaca College Botanical Society (CCBS) was born.
11:00am – 11:30am – Is it a Horticultural Myth? – SD Master Gardener, Dawn Standke
Join us for some horticultural myth-busting as we cover topics including: Are banana peels a garden miracle? Do eggshells, Epsom salts, or Tums cure blossom end rot on tomatoes? Will a “penny ball” drive away snails and slugs? Can copper nails kill trees? Should I put gravel in the bottom of a container to improve drainage? Are bananas slightly radioactive? And what are some unsettling facts about the “ankle biter” or yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, our new invasive mosquito species?
Dawn Standke has been a Master Gardener since 2005 and is the founder and past chair of the Earth-Friendly Gardens committee.
12:00pm – 12:30pm – Fire Prevention on Your Property – San Miguel Fire Department
Fire Marshal Jon Newman and Rodney Blunt will discuss response capabilities and firefighting assets available to our constituents. Fire Marshal Newman will spend the remainder of the time discussing defensible space and fire-wise gardening.
1:00pm – 1:30pm – Plight of the Monarch – Ken Abernathy of Caterpillar Chow
This talk explores the real challenges the Monarch butterfly is facing and how these challenges relate to us. Ken sheds light on some of the mysteries and controversies surrounding Monarch conservation.
Caterpillar Chow Habitat Farms provides educational programs for schools and serves as a working experimental habitat farm for destination learning. They install school gardens and help develop educational programs for educators.
2:00pm – 2:30pm – Water Capture, Collection, and Conservation – Kim Ussery, Helix Water
This workshop will focus on creating a rainwater garden in your yard to retain water. The watershed-wise approach promotes healthy soil and reduces runoff. We’ll explore good locations for swales, site-specific considerations, and aesthetic ideas to beautify your yard.
Kimberly Ussery is the Water Conservation Representative at Helix Water District and is earning degrees in sustainable horticulture and water resources management from Cuyamaca Community College.
ART and PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUCED
-12:30pm Art/Photo Winners Announcement in the Plaza, followed by Guest Speakers acknowledging 25 years of community and conservation.
ANIMAL ENCOUNTER BOOTHS:
-SD Turtle and Tortoise Society
–SoCal Parrot Rescue
-Free Flight
-ZoVargo (10am-12pm)
-Living Coast Discovery Museum
LIVE MUSIC:
-Cuyamaca College Choir (12pm-2pm)
view their Fall Concert Series HERE
-SILVERWOOD Music Ensemble (10am-11:30am)
PARTNER BOOTHS:
-Helix Water, Sweetwater Authority, Otay Water, SDCWA,
-Padre Dam Municipal Water-AWP Program (Advanced Water Purification Project)
-County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program
-Solana Center (interactive composting and waste diversion booth)
-SD Canyonlands
-Elementary Institute of Science
-Mt. Helix Park Foundation
-San Miguel Fire Department-Fire Truck
-Cuyamaca Botanical Society
–Cuyamaca College Outreach
ACTIVITIES:
-Interactive Mosaic with community participation
-Historic Exhibit Talks with volunteers
-Nature Craft Area Sponsored by the Greater San Diego Academy (GSDA)
-Stamp and Go Scavenger Hunt (pickup your map at the Info Booth)
-Gifts from the Garden, Volunteer run gift shop and specialty plant sales and holiday sales!
FOOD and TREATS:
–Frank’s Pizza Joint
-The Go Go Truck
-Simply Fresh Truck
-Baked Goods
The Heritage of the Americas Museum will be open and free this day with over 20 craft vendors.
Cuyamaca College Plant Nursery will be open for plant sales
Become A Water Conservation Garden Member
Water Conservation Garden membership grants you exclusive Garden access, discounts, and amenities shared only by members. Support the garden and enjoy a truly personalized garden experience when you choose one of four different membership options.
Through your membership with The Water Conservation Garden, you are helping to champion the conservation of water, our Earth’s most precious resource. And, you are helping San Diegans understand that drought-tolerant landscapes are both beautiful and diverse.
Memberships benefits include free admission, guest passes, reciprocal admission at 300+ North American botanical gardens, event discounts, gift shop discounts and more.
Membership cards are given to adult members only. All children, 17 and under, are included and receive free entry with membership levels starting with Family Memberships. Learn more here.
