Botanic Garden Newsletter March 2026

THE BOTANIC GARDEN NEWSLETTER
March 2026

Please Welcome New Gardener Millie Calzada
Two-Day Botanical Watercolor Workshop with Linda Ann Vorobik
Volunteer as a Garden Greeter
Celebrate 30 Years of Growing Together
Garden Plant Sales: Focus on Ferns
Free Garden Tours and What’s Blooming Now

Photo: Giant wake robin (Trillium chloropetalum var. giganteum) by Sandy Steinman.

Please Welcome New Gardener Millie Calzada

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is delighted to have gardener Millie Calzada join the team. Millie is a passionate native plant enthusiast with more than a decade of experience in the environmental field. Their work has centered on habitat restoration, with a strong focus on community-based land stewardship. Most recently, they managed Save The Bay’s native plant nurseries, supporting efforts to restore shoreline habitats throughout the San Francisco Bay.

When not at work, Millie loves spending time outdoors—hiking, camping, and enjoying the company of friends and family whenever possible. Their current favorite plant is the red flowering currant, though that may change as spring’s blooms begin to unfold.

Photo by Liz Bittner.

Two-Day Botanical Watercolor Workshop with Linda Ann Vorobik

Join renowned botanist and botanical illustrator Linda Ann Vorobik for a two-day hands-on workshop exploring the art and science of botanical illustration. Participants will enjoy what Linda calls “long dates with plants,” spending focused time observing, drawing, and painting plant material from the Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden.

This is a two–day workshop (Saturday AND Sunday, March 21–22, 2026) 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Advance registration is required.

Using guided observation and drawing techniques, participants will learn how to accurately depict plant structure and form. Beginners are welcome and will be supported in getting started, while more experienced artists will receive guidance to refine their skills.

Cost is $240. Register HERE.

Death camas (Toxicoscordion venenosum) by Linda Ann Vorobik.

Volunteer as a Garden Greeter

It is great fun to welcome our visitors as a Garden greeter. Most of our visitors are new to the Garden and welcome a friendly face and a brief introduction. The kids love the ISpy and Treasure Hunt games we offer them. We invite you to volunteer at the Botanic Garden on weekends. Our next Garden greeter training will take place on two days, Sunday, March 29 and Saturday, April 4 (both dates required), from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. each day. (Note that the first training day has been changed from Saturday, March 28, to Sunday, March 29).

If you would like to know more, contact the greeter coordinator at greeter_coordinator@nativeplants.org

Come join our enthusiastic crew of volunteers!

Celebrate 30 Years of Growing Together

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden — and you’re invited to be part of the celebration!

Become a Friend today and receive an exclusive invitation to our grand anniversary celebration this August. Memberships start at just $30 per year, and your support helps sustain the vital work of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.

Member benefits Include:

A subscription to the Friends’ quarterly publication, Manzanita, which features articles about the Regional Parks Botanic Garden and California native plants.
Early admission to the Garden’s annual plant sales.
Invitations to special events offered exclusively for Friends members.
Discounts at select nurseries offering California native plants.
Membership in the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program, which enables our members to enjoy member benefits at these participating gardens around the country.

The Friends organization plays a crucial role in supporting the Garden’s mission of plant conservation, public education, and horticultural experimentation, while also providing essential funding for special projects.

Join today and discover all the benefits of membership. We look forward to celebrating with you! Join the Friends of the Garden.

Garden Plant Sales: Focus on Ferns

Purchase plants propagated from Regional Parks Botanic Garden species! Plant sales are held on Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., and the first Saturday of the month 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Please note: there will be NO first Saturday sale in May, and weekly and monthly plant sales will be on hold after Saturday, June 6, while propagators prepare for the big fall plant sale on Saturday, October 3.

Current plant inventory is available on the Garden website.

Especially for fern enthusiasts, this month there are many “hard to find” fern species available at the Garden sales. Nurtured by the Garden’s propagators, available species include: fragile fern (Cystoptertis fragilis), Sonoran maiden fern (Pelazoneuron puberulum), and more species listed below.

Five finger fern (Adiantum aleuticum)

This fern is native to western North America and found north to the Aleutian Islands and south to Chihuahua in Mexico. Fronds are fan-shaped and fingerlike with striking black stems. It prefers fertile, moist soils and shady conditions and is somewhat winter deciduous.

Photo by Sandy Steinman.

Coastal wood fern (Dryopteris arguta)

Native to western North America, this fern can be variable in appearance, sometimes with a lacy, ruffled look, and sometimes with bristles on the toothed leaflets. It is deer resistant and more drought tolerant than many ferns. It can be grown in shade or part sun, tolerates a variety of soil conditions, and can be used as a container plant.

Photo by John Rusk.

Goldback fern (Pentagramma triangularis) .

This small fern is often found growing on slopes and rocky places through much of California and beyond. The undersides of its green fronds are covered with a golden powder. Give it shade or partial shade and drainage. It’s summer dormant without water.

Photo by John Rusk.

Dense lace fern (Aspidotis densa).

Native to Western North America, this fern has creeping fronds covered with narrow scales. Often found in rocky crevices in full sun, it’s a good choice for rock gardens and containers.

Photo: Steve Matson.

Free Garden Tours and What’s Blooming Now

You’re invited to our free, docent-guided tours every weekend and on Park District holidays. Explore the Garden sights with us on Saturdays and Park District holidays at 2:00 p.m., and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will be a 2:00 p.m. tour on the Cesar Chavez holiday, Tuesday, March 31. Meet at the Visitor Center, no need to sign up. Please remember, if it’s raining we’ll have to cancel.

Also, you can request a free, docent-led tour for your group. Request form is here. Directions to the Garden.

Below are some of the Garden species currently blooming. Photos by Sandy Steinman.

California pipevine (Aristolochia californica).This is the host plant for the California pipevine swallowtail. Leaves and caterpillars will soon follow. The Garden’s monthly butterfly walks will resume in April, and registration will be available here.

Coastal paintbrush (Castillejia affinis ssp. affinis). This paintbrush is found only in California and slightly beyond its borders.

Western houndstongue (Adelinia grandis, formerly Cynoglossum grande) is a flowering plant in the borage family.

Fremont’s star lily or Fremont’s death camas (Toxicoscordion fremontii).The plant parts contain alkaloids that are toxic to both humans and livestock.

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