The National Heirloom Expo returns to Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA

National Heirloom Exposition returns

The eighth annual National Heirloom Exposition gets under way Tuesday, Sept. 11 to Thursday Sept. 13 Wednesday at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

New this year is the School Garden Network's marketplace in the Grace Pavilion. You'll be able to buy unique items to raise funds to help the network's programs thrive. These programs build school gardens to nourish healthy children.

The exposition will be colossal, with 4,000 varieties of heirloom crops, many in giant, awe-inspiring pyramids.

The event typically draws 20,000 people from farmers and home growers to vendors, who come from all over the world. There will be 100 speakers, demonstration gardens, competitions, displays and kid's activities. Cost is $15 for a one-day ticket and $30 for a three-day pass. Children are free. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sonoma County Event Center, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. School Garden Network, schoolgarden.org, 707-481-5609.

SANTA ROSA

Willowside School nursery's plant sale

The Willowside School nursery's first Saturday plant sale is today.

The nursery, which supports the school, will have drought-tolerant perennials, California natives, many succulents, grasses, salvias, abutilons and plants that attract beneficial birds and insects. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. rain or shine. 5299 Hall Road at Willowside Road, Santa Rosa. Contact Jan Loch at 4lochs@comcast.net

SANTA ROSA

Redwood Stitchers' annual open house

The Redwood Stitchers welcome fellow enthusiasts to come to its ninth annual open house Wednesday at the Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center.

There will be an exhibit of a wide range of members' needlework, featuring cross-stitch, needlepoint and embroidery. Admission is free and complimentary refreshments will be served. Kathleen Johnson will teach a free class in beginning cross-stitch at 1 p.m. Guests will learn how to begin and end threads, read diagrams and work two basic stitches as they create a bookmark with a Halloween design. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 2050 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8016, bobandrose1@yahoo.com

SANTA ROSA

Get ready for fall with this native plant sale:

One of Sonoma County's many great nurseries is at a surprising place. Inmates at the North County Detention facility run it, propagating, planting and tending all types of plants on 5 acres near the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.

The Jail Ir fall with this native plant salendustries holds plant sales in both spring and fall. The first autumn sale is today and will feature California natives, succulents and Sonoma Superstars, plants selected by the Sonoma County Master Gardeners as the best for growing in this area. Also look for trees and many 1-gallon container plants ready for fall planting.

Prices range from $2.75 for a gallon container to $27.75 for a 15 gallon container.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to noon. The next sale will be on Oct. 6. 2254 Ordinance Road at Airport Boulevard.

HEALDSBURG

Learn how to attract birds, bees, butterflies

It's Monarch season and the Russian River Rose Company is hosting special presentations at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today and tomorrow .

Experts will teach you how to attract butterflies, birds and bees to your garden. The talks will be free but a $2 donation is appreciated.

Information will be available from the Sonoma County Beekeeper's Association, the Hallberg Butterfly Garden, Madrone Audubon Society and the Hummingbird Wall. The garden and nursery are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Russian River Rose Co., 1685 Magnolia Drive, Healdsburg, russian-river-rose.com, 707-433-7455.

SONOMA

Garden club's annual autumn plant sale

The Valley of the Moon Garden Club will have its autumn plant sale Sept. 15, with a range of offerings from perennials to succulents to pollinators. Master gardeners will present demonstrations and answer questions. 9 a.m. to noon. 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma, vom-garden-club.org

You can send Home and Garden news to Staff Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com. Send items at least three weeks in advance of your event.