Sacramento, CA | This weekend, the Garden & Arts Center near McKinley Park played host to the Sacramento Rose Society’s 63rd Annual Rose Show. The show was open to anyone from novices to amateurs. “This year, participants came from as far away as Chico,” said Dave Coop, a member of the Society. The Rose Society this year went with a smaller trophy table than in earlier years to make more room for the floral displays. All winners were to receive gift cards for their entries, but the main winners of the rose show are the Hybrid Tea Roses, which compete for the biggest trophy “Queen of Show”. Judges are looking for form, substance, and if the roses stay true to their variety. Getting roses

The American Bonsai Association, Sacramento (ABAS) held its 52nd Annual Show and Sale over the weekend at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park, Sacramento. Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers to imitate the forms and shapes of full-sized trees. The show included displays of over 100 bonsai trees, suiseki (Japanese viewing stones) displays, workshops, and bonsai vendors from around Northern California.                  

More than 4,000 people gathered Sunday at Soil Born Farms' 40-acre American River Ranch for the second annual "Day on the Farm." The family-oriented festival celebrates farming and gardening and emphasizes the importance of eating locally grown food. Along with tours, classes, music and a farmers market, 35 community organizations passed out information on healthy living and being conscious of the environment. The day began with the "Veggie Chase," a 5K run in which children chased runners dressed as giant vegetables. Other physical-fitness possibilities included rock climbing, yoga, martial arts and an obstacle course. There were offerings for the mind as well as the body, with classes

Learn how to turn yard waste into compost and improve the health of your soil! These free seminars include a how-to lesson, a special compost recipe and the ability to purchase a Biostack compost bin for $65 (retails for $129). Each seminar will feature a special lecture on various topics that will help your garden continue to flourish all year long. Composting is great for flower and vegetable gardens and can help conserve water and recycle yard waste. No reservations necessary. Come join us! March 13, 2010 8 a.m.-10 a.m. Southside Park Community Garden 5th and W Streets Lecture Topic: Adding green manure/cover crops to garden BioStack Compost Bins will be available at-cost ($65, retail

Do you have a beautiful water-efficient garden? If so, the City of Sacramento, the Regional Water Authority (RWA) and its partner agencies are looking for you! The Regional Water Authority (RWA), City of Sacramento Department of Utilities and other local water providers invite Sacramento-area residents to show off their “Blue Thumb” by staring in its new television and radio advertising campaign promoting water efficiency. “We’ve all heard of ‘Green Thumb,’ which is often used to describe someone who has a natural skill for gardening,” said RWA Water Efficiency Program Manager Linda Higgins. “Our campaign will showcase people who have a ‘Blue Thumb’—a talent for creating a beautiful wat

 Tree clean our air and water, store carbon in their trunks, create habitat for wildlife, reduce air pollution, increase property values, and provide countless other benefits. The Sacramento Tree Foundation works to leverage all of the benefits that trees provide to create healthy and sustainable communities through building the best urban forest in the Sacramento region. A major keystone in building the best urban forest is the Greenprint initiative, a multi-decade regional framework created to meet Sacramento's sustainability and livability goals by expanding urban forests and optimizing the benefits of tree canopies. Greenprint partners, comprised of 22 cities and 6 counties, have agree

This was another perfect summer day with good breezes, bright sun and a bonus: the Wednesday Farmers Market at Cesar Chavez Plaza, in front of City Hall. Magnolias are in full bloom, on the walk from Midtown along Capitol Park. A brushstroke of blue agapanthus cuts through the green park and hides the black security fence. Lunchtime walkers pass by with their goodies from the fresh produce market, just blocks away. At Cesar Chavez Plaza, the inner ring around the fountain is full of lunch vendors and stalls selling fresh breads, kettle corn and Italian ices. The outer ring holds the fresh bounty our rich growing season. The smell of strawberries hits before even reaching the table, spre

Sacramento, CA - Earlier today, Maria Shriver unveiled a community garden at the heart of the Capitol grounds, following a national trend to grow food local and sustainably. The garden will be made up of fruits, vegetables and herbs, and change with the seasons. According to advocates, it is intended to be a teaching tool for children regarding nutrition, agriculture and healthy living. “Over the years, I have seen how gardens have positively transformed students, schools and communities in California. Gardens are a wonderful resource, and I truly believe in the life lessons they teach and the lives they touch -- and that every school and community should have one. What we’re doing in Cal

On Earth Day, Sacramento residents decided to take action in their yards, both front and back.  In Oak Park, Environment and Agriculture Taskforce (EAT) Sacramento, a network of activists and organizations, issued a report and called on the city to "modernize" chicken laws by allowing residents to keep a limited number of egg-laying hens. The group also layed out part of a roadmap for achieving greater food security, as well as adressing global warming.   The group also suggested that the city could do more to support and encourage more "green thumbs" through continued gardening trainings, zoning changes, and better use of vacant lands. Citing the need to "fix", or capture carbon dioxide

The City of Sacramento Department of Neighborhood Services announces: Are you ready to start your garden? Is your yard in need of a make over? Then good news: Neighborhood Services is sponsoring free green gardening classes! They'll take place in April and May and will cover a range of topics, from improving soil to selecting drought-tolerant plants, as well as City landscaping regulations. Call Neighborhood Services at 808-6789 if you have any questions. City of Sacramento, Neighborhood Services Department is proud to present FREE Green Gardening Classes SAVE THE DATES! Saturday, April 18, 2009 9 a.m. - Noon Ethel McLeod Hart Senior Center 915 27th Street Wednesday, April 29, 2009

In Washington, D.C., Friday marks National Agriculture Day. While this event is primarily sponsored by and profiles industry heavyweights like the Farm Bureau, Dow AgroSciences and Archer Daniels Midland, Sacramento residents are celebrating in their own way. “Sacramentans are rebuilding our food system,” said Paul Schramski, State Director of Pesticide Watch. “Facing an increasingly unhealthy food system, and lack of access to more healthy foods, Sacramento residents are embracing a new urban agriculture.” On any recent weekend, Sacramentans could be found participating in sustainable, urban agriculture. Neighbors in East Sacramento, spearheaded by the Sacramento Urban Fruit Sustainabil