The 12th Annual Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour
A two-day self-guided journey through 47 of the region’s most beautiful and inspiring private and public landscapes.
About the Garden Tour
The 47 gardens on this tour contain at least 50% native plants. Each garden is a labor of love, a place created in harmony with southern California’s climate, soil, natural vegetation and native wildlife. The gardens are divided into two groups: one open Saturday and the other open Sunday. At each location, you’ll meet garden owners, designers and docents. Use the descriptions and icons on this site to plan your personalized excursion, choosing 4-7 gardens to visit each day at a leisurely pace.
The Foundation is indebted to the participants for opening their wonderful gardens to the public, and to our volunteer docents for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm. We are immensely grateful for the support of our sponsors—including local businesses, agencies and organizations.
Garden Tour Etiquette
Show this tour guide to gain entry to each garden
Stay on marked walkways and paths, respect property and gardens
Do not damage plants or take cuttings
No pets allowed
No smoking
Children are welcome; they must be supervised at all times
Visit only on open days and during tour hours
When parking, please be sensitive to garden neighbors
How to Attend
Tour tickets are $30 per person for members, and $35 per person for non-members. Tickets are available in our online store, by phone at (818) 768-1802, or at the following retail locations:
Theodore Payne Foundation
8:30 AM- 4:30 PM
10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley 91352
G2 Gallery
Monday—Saturday: 10AM to 7PM
Sunday: 10AM to 6PM
1503 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice 90291
Potted
Monday—Saturday: 10AM to 6PM
Sunday: 10AM to 5PM
3158 Los Feliz Boulevard, Atwater Village 90039
SEA Lab
Tuesday—Friday: 9AM to 3:30PM
Saturday: 10AM to 4PM
1021 North Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach 90277
Photography Policy
Photos are for personal use only; any photos used for web or media must be credited to the 12th Annual Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour.
Become a Docent
Docents help the Garden Tour play a vital role in the success of the tour. They are ambassadors on behalf of the Theodore Payne Foundation, and provide an interpretive element for garden visitors. Docents welcome tour attendees, validate tickets, and talk about the beauty, practicality and environmental benefits of gardening with California natives.
Attendance of one docent training, one full-day commitment (9:45 a.m.–5:15 p.m. on either Saturday, March 21, or Sunday, March 22) and some knowledge of native plants are required. Docents are welcome to visit the gardens on the other day for free, receive a free garden tour t-shirt (a collectors item!) and are invited to the garden host and docent thank-you party after the tour.
To become a Theodore Payne Native Garden Tour Docent, or for more details, contact Volunteer Coordinator Andrew Chaves at [email protected]. Thank you!
Poppy Days
Following the tour, on March 27 and March 28, Theodore Payne’s Annual Poppy Day Plant Sale offers discounts to the public on native plants. Poppy Day runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Foundation’s nursery in Sun Valley.
About the Theodore Payne Foundation For Wildflowers and Native Plants
The Foundation is dedicated to the promotion and protection of California’s native plants. Our 22-acre Sun Valley site is home to an education center, retail nursery, demonstration gardens, and bookstore. We are free and open to the public year round. Learn more about us at theodorepayne.org. The Native Plant Garden Tour is the Foundation’s largest annual outreach event.
Photos from previous tours
To see photos from the 2013 garden tour please visit the 2013 garden tour site.
To see photos from the 2014 garden tour please visit the 2014 garden tour site.
Contact the Tour Coordinator
If you have feedback about the tour, or are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Margaret Oakley Otto, the Tour Coordinator at: [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!
Contact the Web Developer
If you have feedback, suggestions, or experience issues using this website, please email the Web Developer, Philip Oakley Otto at [email protected]. He would love to hear from you!