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Public Sites
Master Gardeners speak at many venues throughout the county as well as providing support to school and community gardens. We also staff informational booths at many community events. These are locations where we have a continual presence.
| Braille Institute | Anaheim |
Master Gardeners teach classes about basic good gardening practices to individuals having varying degrees of visual impairment. Classes may cover cultural practices, soils, pests and diseases, etc. of various plants. IPM and watershed issues are introduced, and class members are encouraged to share that information with family, friends and neighbors. Classes will be held each semester. During the Spring semester, we conduct three (3) gardening seminars featuring 3 Master Gardeners talking on different topics. In the Fall we once again have weekly class on Thursday afternoons.
| Casa Romantica |
San Clemente
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| Master Gardeners help maintain the many gardens, in particular the California Native and Native American gardens. These reflect plants used by the Native American Indians of the coastal region. Plants used throughout the gardens reflect the gardening styles of the California coastal environment and are adapted for best water usage. Master Gardeners also participate in helping with special events, act as docents for occasional garden tours, and acting as docents for Grade 3 and 4 field trips to Casa Romantica. A new plant research project is under way and Master gardeners are needed to help create a maintenance binder of plants growing in the various gardens at Casa Romantica. |
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| Newport Back Bay Restoration Project |
Newport Beach
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Master Gardeners are involved in 2 programs which enlist community support for habitat restoration by engaging the public in hands-on restoration work and teaching them why this work is important. The Upper Newport Bay encompasses approximately 900 acres and is overseen by several administrative entities including OC Parks and the California Coastal Commission. This unique area is one of only a few remaining estuaries in Southern California and is the home of nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species, as well as numerous species of mammals, fish, other critters and native plants. While we do hands-on work our primary role is to assist the leaders and provide education.
| OC Fair & Event Center Centennial Farm |
Costa Mesa
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Farm tours are given for kindergarten, first-grade, and special education children during the school year. Tours consist of the following: tour of the Farm itself featuring the animals, vegetable garden, and fruit and nut trees, and a lesson on fertilized egg to hatching at 21 days, and holding baby chicks. Master Gardeners help children interact with and learn about the various farm animals. Children also plant radish seeds in containers to take home and learn the five things plants need to grow.
During the fair, Master Gardeners have staffed a beekeeping booth, an urban chickens, booth, and have given tours of Centennial Farm.
| Orange County Great Park Farm + Food Lab |
Irvine
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| This venue is a demonstration garden which consists of twelve large themed raised garden beds: Pizza Garden, International Garden, Fruit Salad Garden, Sensory Garden, Square Foot Garden, Native Garden, Mission Garden, Edible Garden, Butterfly Garden and Textile Garden. The purpose of the garden is to educate the public about food and its production, nutrition, history and home gardening practices. The garden has a large open area and demonstration tables which are used for public lectures. A lecture series is given by Master Gardeners in fall and spring. |
| Santa Ana Zoo Demonstration Garden | Santa Ana |
Vegetable and fruit garden plots are maintained by Master Gardeners at the Santa Ana Zoo. Master Gardeners are available to answer questions from the public regarding growing vegetables. We also have a booth at the spring Party for the Planet.
| Sherman Library and Gardens | Corona del Mar |
Sherman Library and Gardens has been a Corona del Mar landmark since 1955. It consists of 2 acres of 7 different types of gardens, a restaurant, gift shop, and a research library which contains a large archive of materials from the south western portion of the United States. Many public and private events are held at the gardens.
Master Gardeners who serve as docents provide guided tours to groups of adults and children by appointment. They also maintain a "docent on duty" table in the garden during weekdays to answer questions from the visiting public. Informational materials are also provided regarding garden topics.
Docents also assist at various garden events held there each year, including various flower festivals and the National Garden Open House.
| Shipley Nature Center | Huntington Beach |
Shipley Nature Center is 18 acres of native California habitat in Huntington Beach focused on educating the public on California native plants and drought tolerant landscaping. There is an interpretive center along with an amphitheater perfect for presentations which overlooks the demonstration gardens. Master Gardeners help maintain the demonstration gardens, vermicompost, compost and children's garden. Master Gardeners offer a wide variety of lectures and hands-on demonstrations at this venue. We also interact and educate the public at major Shipley events with an "Ask A Master Gardener" table.
| South Coast Research and Extension Center |
Irvine
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South Coast Research and Extension Center is not normally open to the public except when special events are scheduled. These events include an annual Garden Expo and classes which include composting and beekeeping. Master Gardeners also maintain a demonstration youth garden which is used to train teachers and other youth workers in how to start and maintain a youth garden. In addition, Master Gardeners help maintain low water use demonstration gardens and participate in pruning and harvesting fruit from the urban horticulture project.