BERKELEY — It’s time again for the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour on May 7. Native plant gardens that day will again demonstrate their beauty, how they attract wildlife and better yet, how they display a sense of place that is uniquely Californian.
The tour is in its 13th year, and event founder Kathy Kramer of San Pablo is pleased to be able to offer 40 gardens across Contra Costa and Alameda counties, including three in Berkeley, one in El Cerrito and 25 new to the tour.
In addition, the self-drive tour offers native plant sales and 50 talks at selected gardens as well as bluegrass, blues, Renaissance music and more performed at various stops.
The tour is an excellent way to learn how to select and care for California native plants, design a low-maintenance garden, lower water bills, support habitat for local species and garden without using pesticides.
“I think that for a lot of people, viewing these gardens is the first step in the process of converting their gardens,” said Kathy Kramer, tour organizer. “For a number of gardens, their owners had been on the tour before or were volunteers on the tour and they had dreams of having native plant gardens.”
The tour website, www.bringingbackthenatives.net, provides a broad spectrum of information: A description of each garden, including photos and plant lists, and other native plant gardening resources, such as designers, landscapers, and nurseries that will be taking part in the Native Plant Sale Extravaganza on May 6 and May 7.
In Berkeley, Hillside Club volunteers replaced…
