13th Annual Desert Garden Community Day
“Spooky, Spiny, and Succulent” – demystifying desert plants and wildlife
Saturday, October 27, 2018 at UCR Palm Desert, California from 8 am-2:30 pm
Our Keynote Speakers
Steve Martino & Caren Yglesias
Desert Gardens of Steve Martino: Snakes, Cactus & Tequila
Plus Book Sale & Book Signing
9:45am – 10:45am in the Auditorium
Classes & Kids Program

- Desert Horticultural Society, Class Details
- UCCE Master Gardener Program, Class Details
- UCR Palm Desert, Class Details

- Southwest Boulder & Stone. Michelle McLeod will present Stone In the Landscape — Step Out of the Ordinary
- CV Water Counts. Alex Palacios, Ewing Irrigation and Jason Lucas, Lead Water Management Specialist Coachella Valley Water District will present Innovations in Irrigation: Emerging Technology
- Vintage Associates. Al Hollinger will present Summer Stress and How it Affects Plants

- Planting Milkweed to take Home
- In Love with Creepy Crawlers
- Additional activities at our vendor booths
- More Info
Full Schedule for 2018 Garden Day
This event is a collaboration among The Desert Horticultural Society of Coachella Valley, UCCE Master Gardeners, and UCR Palm Desert. To learn more about other group’s events, please contact them directly.
Program Overview
8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Event is open
8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Join us to explore local vendors who can help you put your ideas in place
8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Book Sale & Plant Sale
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Classes, open to all. Class subject schedule to change (last updated: 10/8/18)
8:30 a.m. Kids Program, open to all, More Info
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Scholarship Presentation
9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Keynote Address – Desert Gardens of Steve Martino: Snakes, Cactus & Tequila with Steve Martino & Caren Yglesias (UC Berkeley), author of Desert Gardens of Steve Martino. Slide and panel talk with book signing/sale.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Greater Roadrunner: Almost Human by Jim Cornett – Through its food, courtship and ground-dwelling habits learn why humans and roadrunners have a lot in common with book signing/sale
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Aloes and Agaves in Cultivation by Jeff Moore of Solana Succulents, with book signing/sale
Classes
We’re super excited about this year’s line-up of FREE classes and instructors! Focus on your favorite gardening topic, or mix-and-match among the classes to attend whatever looks most interesting to you.
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Landscaping for Wildlife – Turning Your Yard Into a Healthy Ecosystem by Cameron Barrows, PhD at UCRMore info
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Bats: Friend of Plants, Foe of Bug by Dani Ortiz, Bureau of Land ManagementMore info
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Dangers Lurking in the Garden: Toxic and Dangerous Plants by Larry Fechter, Master GardenerMore info
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Sponsor Talk: Vintage Associates, Al Hollinger presents Summer Stress and How It Affects Plants
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Greater Roadrunner: Almost Human by Jim Cornett – Through its food, courtship and ground-dwelling habits learn why humans and roadrunners have a lot in common with book signing/sale
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Successful Succulents AND Fabulous Flowers! by Troy Bankord
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Desert Disruptors: Invasive Plants in Our Local Wildlands by Lynn C. Sweet, PhD at UCRMore info
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Surrounded by the Ancients by Robin Kobaly
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Sponsor Panel: CV Water Counts presents Innovations in Irrigation: Emerging Technology with Alex Palacios, Ewing Irrigation and Jason Lucas, Lead Water Management Specialist Coachella Valley Water District
- 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Jeff Moore of Solana Succulents, Aloes and Agaves in Cultivation with book signing/saleMore info
- 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Painting with Plants, Creating a Desert Courtyard from the Inside Out by Tracy Merrigan, President of the Desert Horticultural Society of Coachella ValleyMore info
- 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. It’s Time To Plant Those Vegetables–Growing Vegetables in the Coachella Valley by Bob and Sue Adamson, Master Gardeners
- 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. How to Grow Plumeria in Extreme Heat by Mernell Wong, Master Gardener
- 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Sponsor Talk: Southwest Boulder and Stone’s Michelle McLeod presents Stone in the Landscape-Step out of the Ordinary
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Game of Thorns: An Exhibition by David Bryant of Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden More info
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ollas: An ancient form of irrigation used in our gardens today by Thurman Howard, Master GardenerMore info
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Choosing the Right Plants Makes Desert Gardening Easy by Wendy Proud of Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Zombie-Makers and Cattle Ranchers: The Diverse Lives of Insects by Scott Heacox More info
Kids Program
- In Love with Creepy Crawlers, with Mary McDonnell
- Milkweed to Pot for Home, with Ana Beatty
- More Info