Inspiring and educating San Francisco South Bay and Peninsula plant enthusiasts since 1963
UPCOMING SPEAKERS & EVENTS
Join us for monthly Western Hort programs designed to inform, educate and inspire the dedicated plant lover.
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Meetings are held 9 times a year on the second Wednesday of the month and feature a lecture and slide presentation by a guest horticultural specialist. Each program also includes a member-led discussion and photos of unusual plants.
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In-person meetings, will be held at the Garden House in Shoup Park, 400 University Ave, Los Altos.
Located near Lincoln Ave.
In-person meetings often include a sale of diverse plant varieties donated by members and local nurseries as well as books, seeds, tools and other horticultural items on occasion. All are welcome!
Our Upcoming November Meeting will be In-Person in the Garden House at Shoup Park .
400 University Ave., Los Altos.
If you enjoy the talks given at our meetings and want to help the Western Horticultural Society sustain our program, you might like to sponsor one of our speakers! Your donation helps cover the costs of hosting a speaker and we will note your name as sponsor in our newsletter. You can choose the month or speaker of your choice or perhaps you have a speaker you would like to propose? Contact Leslie Dean lesliekdean@sonic.net about donations or questions.
November 13th, 2024, 7.30pm
​Shade Plants for the Dry Garden
with Jill Sowards
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Jill Sowards is a gardener and owner of Violetear Studio.
She teaches classes and workshops on a range of gardening and design topics throughout
the Bay Area and online. No matter the subject, her foundation is always on ecological gardening, waterwise practices and how to incorporate native plants.
Originally trained as a public interest lawyer, Jill believes that all people can benefit from building
a nurturing connection with the joy of the garden.
Her own garden is based in the Berkeley Hills which she cultivates with the help (or hinderance) of her family and a rescue hound.
Join Jill Sowards of Violetear Studio to learn about growing a gorgeous shade garden. Jill will review the various types of shade, give tips on how to make the most of each shade zone, and provide planting combinations to enjoy throughout the year.
Jill will discuss a variety of shade plants including a favorite shade lover, the hellebore.
Hellebores are winter blooming, drought tolerant beauties which make a wonderful partner to other shade garden features. Jill will discuss different varieties, where to plant them and seasonal care.
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December 11th, 2024, 7.30pm
Christmas Party​!
January 8th, 2024, 7.30pm
​An Exquisite Risk – Western Hills Garden Past, Present and Future
with Hadley Dynak
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Hadley Dynak works with nonprofits and social justice causes to express their vision, raise funds for impact and join up with one another to build momentum. She partners with artists and activists to connect people to issues and to drive change.
In September 2021, she and her husband Kent Strader purchased Western Hills Garden
in Occidental, CA - a 65 year-old property with a significant history in the horticultural world. They are committed to preserving its legacy and sharing it with the community.
Hadley manages garden operations, visitor services, programming, partnerships and communications. She is thrilled to recently hire a Horticultural Manager to care for the garden and will continue to spend time weeding and pruning – her favorite pastimes.
She also co-authored a book, released by Countryman Press in March 2023, called
It's a Good Day to Change the World.
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Learn about the history of the famed Western Hills Garden and what is planned for its future. Founded in 1959, the garden is located on three acres in Occidental, CA and includes a critically important collection of rare plants and trees from around the world.
It was transformed from pastureland and redwoods into an incredible example of cultivated biodiversity by Lester Hawkins and Marshall Olbrich. Over their 30+ year tenure they became experts in garden design and botany and inspired new ways of thinking about horticulture
on the West Coast.
More recent owners made critical improvements that extended WHG’s legacy. In September 2021, Hadley Dynak and Kent Strader purchased the garden and are running it as a nonprofit
for the first time in its history. The garden’s mission is to link people, plants and place with possibility.
Hadley will share stories about Lester and Marshall and their collection, discuss current horticultural highlights, and provide insights into future plans to reclaim its reputation as a treasured destination for locals and visitors. A sanctuary to wonder, wander and discover.
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February 12th, 2024, 7.30pm
​A Garden Lover’s Tour of English Gardens and the Many Lessons Learned
with Jim Salyards, Director of Horticulture at Filoli
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Jim is the director of horticulture at Filoli, the garden he has called home for the past 30 years. He has worked as a section gardener, greenhouse manager and served as the director
since 2014. Jim is also fortunate to live on site with his husband Joe, director of gardens
at the Gardens of Golden Gate Park.
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While on sabbatical from Filoli and touring gardens in England for a month during the summer
of 2024, Jim was able to enjoy the supreme horticulture found throughout England, while also taking home many ideas, inspirations and lessons from his 30+ garden visits.
Jim spent a week in four different locations, including a week at Sissinghurst Castle
and other nearby gardens. During each stop he toured with the Head Gardener
or Curator to take a deeper dive into the special aspects of the work done at each garden, gleaning ideas to take back to Filoli in order to improve the horticulture there.
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