Stock your spring garden at these Sonoma County plant sales
SONOMA COUNTY
Farm hop for fun and education
Sonoma County farms and ranches welcome visitors April 29 and 30 for “Blossoms, Bees and Barnyard Babies,” a weekend of farm-hopping for fun and education.
Each destination is a chance to meet with farmers and producers and learn more about their lives, the origins of local food and the soils and systems that sustain the county’s bounty.
Visitors can learn from beekeepers what they can do in their own yards to help struggling pollinators survive. There will also be flower arranging, animal cuddling and petting, from piglets to water buffalo calves, tastings of honey, cheese, wine, olive oil and more, games and crafts for kids and farm stands for stocking up.
The event is put on by Sonoma County Farm Trails. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To receive a schedule and map of participating farms call 707-837-8896 or visit farmtrails.org.
NAPA VALLEY
Tour home kitchens
Gather up inspiration for your home projects, or just entertain your eyes with a great design during the Kitchens in the Vineyards Home and Garden Tour April 28 and 29.
The 20th anniversary self-guided tour includes a mix of five properties, small to estate-sized, all styled by professional designers and florists, and located in the St. Helena area.
A Preview Party Friday, April 28, includes a private, champagne tour aboard luxury mini-coaches followed by a catered dinner at Robert Mondavi Winery.
Tickets for the self-guided tour are $70 in advance or $75 the day of the tour. Tickets for the preview party are $250 and are limited. Proceeds benefit Music in the Vineyards, Napa’s annual chamber music festival Aug. 2-27 at select Napa Valley wineries.
For information or tickets call 707-258-5559 or visit musicinthevineyards.org.
SONOMA
Bubbles & Blooms Festival set
Gloria Ferrer Winery toasts the return of spring with its annual Bubbles & Blooms Festival, where solid information on sustainable gardening is served the Wine Country way - with a glass of bubbly.
Timed to Earth Day, the Saturday festival features talks on sustainable gardening and composting and the best uses of succulents and color in baskets and containers.
Highlights include vineyard tours, hands-on floral workshops and an indoor floral market with ready-made arrangements for sale, food and wine pairing and on-the-go snacks.
Tickets are $65. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. For information and tickets visit gloriaferrer.com.
GLEN ELLEN
Visit Quarryhill ?Botanical Garden
Quarryhill Botanical Garden opens its gates to visitors for free Saturday with a big lineup of activities and presenters, all in celebration of Earth Day.
The Sonoma County Beekeepers Association, the Living Treasures Succulent Project, NorCal Bats and The Hungry Owl Project are among the groups that will have displays in the garden.
This is also a chance to buy rare and unusual Asian plants for your garden that have been propagated from plants at Quarryhill, a 25-acre botanical garden created directly from seed collected in the wilds of China.
There will be cultural performances, wildlife to meet, rare gems, bubbles, face painting and arts and crafts for kids and other activities. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $10 parking. 12841 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen. Quarryhillbg.org or 707-996-3166.
FORT BRAGG
Rhododendron ?Show coming
The North Coast is one of the best environments for rhododendrons. The region has celebrated these showy bloomers since the first Rhododendron Festival at Van Damme State Park in 1937.
Rhodie lovers will again converge on the North Coast on Saturday and Sunday for the 40th Annual Rhododendron Show at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Co-sponsored by the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, the juried show will feature more than 700 entries, including flower trusses, plants, bonsai, photos and floral arrangements of rhododendrons.
There will also be plants for sale, educational displays and refreshments. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Free. 18220 N. Highway 1, Fort Bragg. 707-964-4362.
PETALUMA AND SONOMA
Irrigation for ?conservation
Demystify the language of irrigation during a free workshop put on by the Sonoma County Master Gardeners. Learn about basic irrigation equipment, how it functions and fits together, and how to convert your spray irrigation to drip.
Saturday. April 22, at the Petaluma Library, 100 Fairgrounds Drive. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sonomamastergardeners.org.
SONOMA COUNTY
Plant sale crawl
Clear out your best cargo vehicle, grab a tarp and hit the road for a plant sale crawl through Sonoma County. Garden clubs and organizations throughout the county are holding plant sales in April, with bargains galore. Here are some for your list:
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