Native Plant Extravaganzas 2026 (rain or shine!)
Details are below.
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Be sure to include our own, local keystone plants in your garden; they are the best for wildlife, and include:
Best plants for sunny areas: Oak, holly leaf cherry, California lilac, lupine, manzanitas, sages, sunflower, native strawberry, buckwheat, aster, coyote brush, and penstemon.
Best plants for shady areas: currant, huckleberry, wild rose, thimbleberry, ocean spray, woodland strawberry, goldenrod, aster, honeysuckle.
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Shop in-person
Saturday February 21, 10:00-4:00 (rain or shine!)
Free Talks – and a Native Plant Propagation activity – in the Nurseries!
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Down by the Bay Native Plant Nursery (at its new, permanent location) 38255 Blacow Road in Fremont
Free Native Plant Propagation Activity
All day: “Propagating plants by divisions. Come pot your own perennial to take home!” with Josh Rubietta, owner of Down by the Bay
Down by the Bay specializes in local native plants – particularly plants local to Hayward and surrounding cities. Most of their plants are sold in depots or conetainers. Check out their plant list on the website!
Oaktown Native Plant Nursery, 702 Channing Way, Berkeley
Talks in the Nursery
East Bay Wilds, 2777 Foothill, Oakland (the entrance is on 28th street)
Talks in the Nursery
12:00 “How to successfully design, plant and maintain a native plant garden” by Pete Veilleux, owner of East Bay Wilds
See East Bay Wild’s plant list here and see photos of gardens that Pete has designed and planted with natives here. Check out the eclectic collection of garden art Pete has for sale! If you are interested in a consult, design, installation or maintenance for a California native landscape, email Pete at pete@eastbaywilds.com or call (510) 409-5858.
The Watershed Nursery Cooperative, 601 A Canal Blvd. Richmond
Talks in the Nursery
1:00 “Native plants are for the birds: Wouldn’t you love to have your garden sound and feel like a park that is right outside your back door? If so, join us to learn how you can create habitat for birds in your own garden, find out about garden maintenance timing, and discover the fun in becoming a better birder” by Jenni Schmedding, Golden Gate Bird Alliance
Curious Flora, 740 Market Avenue, Richmond
Talks in the Nursery
1:00 Come stock up on early bloomers for your very own California native super bloom this spring! Ann-Marie Benz of the California Native Plant Society will talk about what your natives need now, and how you can get the most out of our rainy season without feeling flooded. Heavy clay got you stuck in the mud? Don’t despair, come learn what California native plants will turn that clay into the best building blocks of your garden.
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You can also shop online at these participating businesses on the week-end of February 21 and 22, and a percentage of your purchases will go to support the Tour
Green Thumb Works is owned by native plant landscape designer Sandra Nevala-Lee. Now available from Green Thumb are Hummingbird Hangout and Beneficial Insect Haven plant bundles, consisting of hardy, beneficial one-gallon plants for full sun to part-sunny areas. Browse Green Thumb’s online list of available plants here.
Down by the Bay, owned by garden tour host Josh Rubietta-Cheng, carries native plants that are genetically local to the East Bay—these are the best plants for wildlife: check out Down by the Bay’s plant list online.
California Native Seeds is owned by garden tour hosts Danny Galindo and Eugene Shabalyanu; check out the incredible variety of native seeds they sell. These seeds are collected from their own Castro Valley garden, which you can visit this spring on the 2026 Tour.