Date: June 25, 2023

Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Contact: UC Master Gardeners

Sponsor: UC Master Gardeners, Santa Clara County, CA

Location: Palo Alto Demonstration Garden

Event Details

The Palo Alto Demonstration Garden (PADG) is celebrating its 20th anniversary! Please join us to celebrate in the garden from 1-3pm on Sunday June 25th!

In 2003, a team of Santa Clara County Master Gardener volunteers established a 7,300 square foot new public demonstration garden in Palo Alto's Eleanor Pardee Park. Bordering an area of community gardens, the purpose of the garden was twofold – to demonstrate cultural techniques for both edible and waterwise plantings. The City of Palo Alto co-sponsored the project by providing space and installing water lines. Master Gardeners and some spouses prepared the soil, built mounded garden beds, put up fencing, and laid out planting beds. The Santa Clara Valley Water District assisted with a grant for irrigation costs.

Over the years, dozens of Master Gardeners and volunteers have contributed to this garden. They added composting bins, garden sheds, pergolas, benches for classes, and lawn alternative and container gardening demonstration areas. They mulched, planted, pruned, pulled bindweed, and made the space beautiful. A grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was used to fund a wheelchair accessible garden bed and decomposed granite pathways in a portion of the garden. A new information kiosk (a local Boy Scout Eagle project) and new interpretive signage provide the public with inspiration and ideas as they transition their gardens to more food production and/or to use less water.

Now in its 20th year, the garden continues to demonstrate both edible and waterwise plantings. The edible section showcases year-round fruit and vegetable production and composting. The 700-800 pounds of food grown annually in the garden is donated to the local food closet. The waterwise section showcases beautiful landscaping with native and low water plants. Master Gardeners trained by the University of California Cooperative Extension maintain both areas with the help of community volunteers. Weekly workdays, monthly workshops, and open gardens every Saturday morning May through October provide an opportunity for the public to explore the edible and ornamental gardens, ask questions, and get plant and garden advice.

Presenter(s): PADG Master Gardeners

Registration: None

Cost: Free

Links: PADG