What makes California a world hotspot of biodiversity? Why should a home gardener care? Learn about the critical role native plants play in a healthy environment, how human pressures are driving them to the brink of extinction, and what you as a home gardener can do to save and celebrate them. Learn how to provide habitat for wildlife, conserve natural resources, save effort and money, and give your garden a sense of place -- by using native plants. A plant list will be provided.

Arvind Kumar has been gardening with native plants for over 14 years and is a past president of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. A true advocate of the environment, he helped start the Going Native Garden Tour in 2003, has worked on native plant restoration projects at Lake Cunningham in San Jose, and received the Water Champion award from the Silicon Valley Water Conservation Coalition in 2013.