FORESTVILLE
Calabash at Food for Thought gardens: Food for Thought's luscious gardens provide a perfect fall setting for the annual Calabash Celebration of Gourds, Art and the Garden on Oct. 6.
Professional artists are recruited to turn intriguingly-shaped gourds into works of art for sale at the event, which also features a cornucopia of food and wine harvested and prepared locally, and served to the accompaniment of live music played on hand-made gourd instruments. Food for Thought is a food bank serving 675 men, women and children in Sonoma County living with HIV and/or AIDS. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $45 in advance or $50 at the door. fftfoodbank.org. 887-1647. 6650 Railroad Ave., Forestville.
ALBION
Plant sale at Digging Dog: Digging Dog Nursery, the famed Mendocino Coast nursery featured in high end magazines, throws a fall plant sale Oct. 11-13 complete with free horticultural tours of the display gardens and refreshments. A wide variety of easy-to-grow plants, will be on sale for 20 to 40 percent off. The nursery is wheelchair accessible. 31101 Middle Ridge Road. 937-1130 or diggingdog.com.
SANTA ROSA
Winter bloomers and spring bulbs: By combining winter bloomers like pansies and poppies with spring bulbs, you can enjoy traffic-stopping displays in your garden and pots. Learn how to put together winning combinations on Saturday, Oct. 5, at King's Nursery, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The nursery will also be offering all bulbs and flowers at 20 percent off. 1212 13th St., Santa Rosa. 542-4782.
SANTA ROSA
Native Plant Society holding plant sale: Stock up native plants propagated by the experts during the annual plant sale put on the Milo Baker Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
The sale will offer trees, shrubs, groundcovers, salvia, monkeyflower, iris, fuchsia, bulbs, grasses and ferns. All plants grow well in the North Coast climate
There will also be a display of habitat plants, as well as books, posters, note cards and t-shirts. Experienced club members will be on hand to answer questions. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Veterans Building, 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa. milobaker.cnps.org.
SANTA ROSA
Fall planting tips from Curtis Short: Garden expert Curtis Short will talk about how to plant in fall and why autumn is the best time to make changes in your landscape Oct. 15 before the Milo Baker chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
Short will use slides and demonstrations showing real planting projects during the free seminar, open to non-members. 7:30 p.m. at the Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center, 2050 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa.
GLEN ELLEN
Honors at Jack London Park for Jack's Oak: Acorns will be gathered from a dying oak tree in Jack Londong State Historic Park and replanted a several miles away at Quarryhill Botanical Garden.
The celebration and ceremony honoring the beloved old tree known as Jack's Oak begins at 10 a.m. at the park with a celebration and gathering of acorns — "children of the tree" — by children of the community, symbolzing the cycle of life and hope in the future.
The gathering will be followed by docent-led tours of Jack London Park. At noon the ceremony moves to Quarryhill, down the mountain on Highway 12, where the acorns will be planted, keeping a piece of the tree alive.
Writer Jack London reportedly drew inspiration from the tree on his Beauty Ranch.
The ceremony at Quarryhill also includes music and family activities. People are invited to bring a picnic lunch.
Admission is free although there is a $10 parking fee at Jack London, located at the end of London Ranch Road in Glen Ellen. Quarryill is located on Higway 12 at the Arnold Drive exit.
For more information visit jacklondonpark.com or quarryillbg.org.
SONOMA COUNTY
Master Gardeners free workshops: The Sonoma County Master Gardeners are holding a series of free lectures and workshops for the fall planting season. All are held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information call 565-2608 or visit sonomamastergardeners.org.
HEALDSBURG
Kilchherr offers tips on growing berries: Grow Berries: Press Democrat columnist Gwen Kilchherr shares secrets on growing blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries on Oct 5 at the Healdsburg Library, 139 Piper St.
You can direct Home & Garden news to meg.mcconahey@ pressdemocrat.com or 521-5204.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: