Rare fall garden show to be held in Sonoma

<p>Spring may be the traditional season for garden shows, but savvy horticulturists know that autumn, right before the rains that help get roots established, is often the smartest time to plant.</p><p>Cornerstone Sonoma, a collection of gallery-style gardens by leading landscape designers set within a complex of shops and winery tasting rooms, will play host on Sept. 18-20 to “The Late Show Gardens,” a rare fall garden festival built around the theme of sustainable gardening practices.</p><p>“We wanted to create an opportunity for really interesting garden designers to talk about drought and sustainability and global warming,” said Robin Parer, owner of the Kentfield specialty nursery called Geraniaceae and president of the show.</p><p>Eighteen new gardens by leading designers will be installed just for the show, including works by international garden designer Monica Viarengo, Emmanuel Donval, well-known grass expert John Greenlee, landscape architect Jack Chandler, who is credited with creating the “Napa Valley look” at so many wineries and estates, Forestville landscape sculptor Suzanne Biaggi and Kate Frey of Hopland, who has medaled at England's Chelsea Flower Show.</p><p>Each will create a space with an environmental theme and aesthetic.</p><p>The list of speakers ranges from well-known San Francisco artist and landscape designer Topher Delaney and NPR's Ketzel Levine to Sean Hogan, founder of the well-known Cistus rare plant nursery in Oregon and Dick Turner, editor of Pacific Horticulture Magazine.</p><p>Parer said the “piece de resistance” will be an ice wall, created by Peter Good, Liz Einwiller, Adam Greenspan, Sarah Kuehl and David Fong. Called the “Grow Melt Project,” the wall will slowly melt over the three days of the festival, a “metaphor for the processes that affect our world,” said Parer.</p><p>Autumn is the most sustainable time to plant many trees, shrubs and perennials. Even native and drought-tolerant plants need additional water when first planted to help them get established and by planting in fall, that irrigation can come naturally through rainfall. Some 13 nurseries, including Albion's Digging Dog, will be on hand to sell everything from winter vegetable starts to native plants.</p><p>Proceeds from the festival benefit the Trust for Public Land for the development of a children's park in the Excelsior District of San Francisco and the Garden Conservancy for the care and preservation of selected Northern California Gardens.</p><p>The festival runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 18-20. Admission is $20, $15 for seniors 65 and over or groups of 10 or more and $45 for a three-day pass. Children 6-12 are $10 and under 6 are free. To purchase tickets or for more information, check out thelateshowgardens.org or call (415) 721-1550.</p><p>Cornerstone Sonoma is at 23570 Highway 121/Arnold Drive, Sonoma.</p>