PLACERVILLE — A celebration of California’s native flora is coming to one of El Dorado County’s most historic agricultural properties.
Wakamatsu Farm will host The Art of Native Plants from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, offering residents a free opportunity to explore native plants, local ecology, art and the cultural connections between people and the land.
The event is presented by the American River Conservancy in collaboration with the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
Organizers describe the event as a chance to discover native plants as both “cultural allies and ecological anchors.” Visitors will be able to explore the farm’s ponds, woodlands and gardens while meeting local experts and learning about biodiversity and native-plant conservation.
A day centered on native plants
The Oct. 11 gathering will include information booths, demonstrations, artists’ work and hands-on activities inspired by California’s native flora.
Visitors also will be able to shop for native plants, seeds, art and related merchandise. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
The event is free and open to all ages. Organizers are requesting a suggested $10 parking donation.
One of the day’s featured speakers is M. Kat Anderson, author of Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s Natural Resources. Anderson will discuss her new book during a program scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The program also will include storytelling by Kimberly ShiningStar Petree and music by Hither & Yon.
Bird walk starts the morning
For visitors who want an early start, a separate bird walk is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. with Placer Land Trust.
The bird walk requires separate registration, while the main Art of Native Plants program begins at 10 a.m.
The event also coincides with the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society’s fall plant-sale pickup at Wakamatsu Farm.
The chapter’s online fall native-plant sale runs Oct. 1-4, with plant pickup scheduled at Wakamatsu Farm Oct. 10 and 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Oct. 11 pickup is specifically timed to coincide with the native-plant event.
The chapter’s current inventory includes hundreds of native plant offerings across categories including perennial herbs, shrubs, trees, grasses, ground covers and vines. Availability varies by year.
A historic setting
The setting adds another layer to the event.
Wakamatsu Farm, located in the Gold Hill area south of Coloma, is a 272-acre property that includes farmland, oak woodlands and riparian areas. The American River Conservancy acquired the property in 2010 to help preserve its historical and natural resources.
The property is also closely associated with the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony, established in 1869 by Japanese immigrants. The colony is recognized as an important part of California’s Japanese-American agricultural history.
The Japanese settlers brought tea and mulberry plants to California as they attempted to establish a tea and silk operation in the Gold Hill region.
That history makes Wakamatsu more than simply a backdrop for a plant festival. It is a working landscape where agriculture, cultural history and conservation intersect.
The American River Conservancy describes Wakamatsu Farm as a community place where visitors can experience natural resources, sustainable agriculture and cultural history.
Connecting gardens to the larger landscape
For El Dorado County residents, the event offers something more practical than a day at a festival.
Native plants can provide habitat for pollinators and wildlife while helping homeowners create landscapes better suited to California’s climate and local ecosystems. The El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society promotes the use of California native plants in gardens and public spaces and maintains a local community focused on native-plant gardening.
The chapter also offers free field trips during the spring and summer and emphasizes that participants do not need a scientific background to learn about native plants.
For residents accustomed to seeing the county’s oak woodlands, foothill chaparral, creeks and seasonal wildflowers, the Oct. 11 event provides an opportunity to look more closely at the plants that form those ecosystems.
And unlike a conventional garden show, the event places that discussion directly within a historic El Dorado County landscape.
Event details
The Art of Native Plants
When: Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Wakamatsu Farm, 941 Cold Springs Road, Placerville
Cost: Free; $10 suggested parking donation
Bird walk: 8-10 a.m., separate registration required
More event information is available from the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and American River Conservancy.
For those interested in purchasing plants, the CNPS El Dorado native-plant sale opens online Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 4.
For local residents, the message is straightforward: Bring the family, walk the farm, learn something about the plants growing around us — and perhaps take a little piece of El Dorado County’s native landscape home.
