13004 Venice Boulevard: The Learning Garden at Venice High School is Showcase Central

SHOWCASE CENTRAL:  The Learning Garden at Venice High School

We'll kick off the 2018 Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase at 10am with 11th district Councilmember Mike Bonin welcoming visitors at The Learning Garden at Venice High School.  The Learning Garden was the first school garden started by community activists, setting the model for many of the other school gardens in the Mar Vista area. Attaching their endeavors to the existing gardening classes at Venice High School, The Learning Garden has been a beacon for the community since 2002. Great place to start your tour.  Tour this enormous peaceful and sustainable garden and learn about what David King does for the community.  Then pick up a map and figure out your route for the day, apply your sunscreen, talk to experts and meet lots of garden lovers. 

The entirety of The Learning Garden is grown without any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer and depends on the soil food web to provide the plants with the appropriate nutrients. 

The garden is watered by hand; as a teaching institution, part of learning how to care for plants is watering them. Some passive water saving is employed, capturing runoff and sequestering it back into the aquifer. The gardens are well mulched. There are three or four (depending on the week) different ways of composting in the garden.

Inca berries

You'll also be able to dig deep into the expertise from the Seed Library of LA (SLOLA), the local organization protecting the diversity of our food supply. SLOLA is a collection of seeds and a community of passionate gardeners and volunteers, which facilitates the growth of open-pollinated seeds among residents of the Los Angeles Basin. A hub and repository for seed collection, SLOLA's mission is to educate members about the practice of seed-saving through their free monthly workshop and outreach events, such as MVGGS.  





Please note that you enter through the gate on Walgrove just south of Venice Blvd.

1630 Walgrove Avenue: Walgrove Elementary School (Calling All Kid Gardeners!!!)

  

Walgrove Elementary is established as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation and features a variety of green spaces in which children can learn, play, explore and create. The garden program extends across the campus and includes:

· a flourishing organic edible garden

· individual classroom garden boxes

· The Walgrove Wildlands, a 25,000 square foot outdoor eco-lab

· a kinder "garden" that is an official Monarch Butterfly Habitat

· an orchard with flourishing fruit trees

Daniela Roveda with her gardening squad

In the edible garden, students work weekly with Master Gardener Daniela Roveda and local environmentalist Jeanne Kuntz engaging in seed-to-table learning. This unique program includes classroom instruction on the life cycle of plants, plant anatomy, the role of pollinators, and the needs of plants (air, water, soil nutrients and seasonal preferences).  In addition to horticultural science, the students learn weights and measures (metric and US), geography, climate and the concept of variables in any scientific experiment.

Hands-on learning in the garden includes growing plants from seeds, transplanting, cultivation, harvest, safety (bees and tools) and cooperation.  The students also sample the produce.  This runs the gamut from sharing freshly picked radishes in the garden to sautéing garlic and kale.  With very few exceptions, the students enjoy the healthy snacks and, thereby, establish a lifelong appreciation of healthy eating.

BFFs in the Walgrove Wildlands!

In the Walgrove Wildlands, students have the opportunity to become stewards of their environment by engaging directly with nature. This urban eco-lab is designed for on-campus curriculum-based science education including lessons about native plants and animal species, ecosystems, watershed issues and more. It also facilitates the practice of council and a myriad of outdoor projects that promote learning and discovery. It even hosts theater performance and functions as an art space!

To celebrate the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase, Walgrove Elementary is hosting a free community gathering called Monarch Fest from 12-4pm celebrating the myriad outdoor education spaces. Activities include kids’ yoga, live music, nature mandala sculpture building, food, and special performances by Walgrove’s own Musical Theater and Strings by the Sea violin program.

The edible garden boxes were gifts of the Walgrove community, including volunteers, teachers, students, neighbors, and families and were constructed in 2016 by Walgrove families.

The orchard was founded by formerly co-located Ocean Charter in the early 2000’s, increased to its current size in 2016, and includes citrus and fruit trees as well as providing shade and creative possibilities for students on hot LA days.

The Walgrove Wildlands was conceived and constructed by parents, staff, students and volunteers from throughout Los Angeles. They work with the LAUSD, Enrich LA, S.M. Bay Audubon Society, Whole Foods, Loyola Marymount's  CURes program, Common Vision, Surfrider Foundation, Million TreesLA, Kids4Trees, Theodore Payne Native Plant Foundation, CA Native Plant Society, Venice YouthBuild and volunteer groups from UCLA, Pepperdine and Santa Monica College, just  to name a few of their many partners and supporters.  We owe possibly the largest debt of gratitude to our landscape architect, Ryan Drnek of Sodder Studio.

Photos by: Jay Sharman Photography 

NOTE: entrance gate is on Appleton Way at Redwood Ave.

3857 Coolidge Avenue

Come see what you can do with an old garden...and learn from a local naturalist!

Over the past three years, since the 2015 garden tour, this "California Garden" has been evolving.  Come see what’s changed and what’s stayed the same.  Gardens are dynamic, the challenge for owners is to be aware of what’s happening, and sometimes, just go with it.  This garden is a mix of new California natives and some non-native plants introduced years ago by the original owners.

One of the oldest California Avocado trees in the neighborhood is in their backyard. It has its own set of challenges and they've landscaped around it accordingly.   The garden is hand-watered and includes rain barrels and a rain garden.  It is a Certified Wildlife Habitat, Xerces Pollinator Habitat and Monarch Waystation.

Birds are an important part of the Coolidge

Garden. They are welcome!  This is the Year of the Bird, as designated by National Geographic Society and their partners the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, and BirdLife International. 

One of the garden owners is the former Executive Director of the Friends of Ballona Wetlands as well as a landscape designer (Giardino della Vita).  She is now the Dan and Susan Gottlieb Environmental Leadership Fellow in the Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) at Loyola Marymount University.

Organizations Lisa Fimiani is affiliated with or knows something about:

·         Center for Urban Resilience at Loyola Marymount University:  CURes works with faculty, staff, students and community members to develop research and other interventions that lead to more resilient and just communities.  The goal is to pair the study of urban ecology with local issues that can benefit from the talents and resources at LMU:  http://cures.lmu.edu/

·         Friends of Ballona Wetlands  – they not only do tours in the Wetlands, but also provide expertise on how to put in pollinator, rain, and edible gardens, as well as provide Summer Camp opportunities:   http://www.ballonafriends.org/

·         Los Angeles Audubon Society – their “Kill Your Lawn” cartoon book drawn by children will be available as handouts:  http://losangelesaudubon.org/photo-galleries-section/photo-galleries-category/kill-your-lawn-comic-book-gallery

·         Los Angeles Audubon Society –Tree Trimming Guidelines:  https://losangelesaudubon.org/tree-trimming-guidelines

·         Monarch Waystation Certification – through Monarch Watch

·         National Wildlife Federation – Certified Wildlife Habitat Program

·         SoCal Water $mart Residential Turf Removal Program –Bewaterwise.com

·         Xerces Society – Pollinator Habitat Certification

 How to register your garden as a Wildlife Habitat Yard

• Audubon At Home http://audubonathome.org/
• National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/create.cfm?CFID=7177856&CFTOKEN=176461acda590e96-4839F373-5056-A868-A0F00601F3124B08
• Monarch Waystation Program http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/certify.html
• Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/

Lisa Fimiani Contact Information:

Board Member, Friends of Ballona Wetlands  http://www.ballonafriends.org/

Treasurer, Ballona Discovery Park Partners  http://cures.lmu.edu/our-programs/education/ballona-discovery-park/

Gottlieb Fellow, Loyola Marymount University, Center for Urban Resilience  http://cures.lmu.edu/

Master Gardener and Restoration Specialist, Giardino della Vita  http://giardinodellavita.com/

Wetlands Restoration Principles Coalition Partner  http://wetlandsrestoration.org/

 Cell:  (310) 339-2737 lisa.fimiani@lmu.edu; lisafimiani@gmail.com

Visit my website: www.giardinodellavita.com “Garden of Life”

3635 Grand View Blvd

One year ago most of this front yard was a concrete driveway (1400 sq.ft.) and now it's transformed into a two car garage surrounded by eclectic, self-seeding, drought tolerant and drought resistant gardens (1200 sq. ft.) utilizing lots of repurposed pots, bricks and broken cement materials throughout. Pinwheels and Nepalese flags add color and movement to the environment. 

I use a Do-It-Yourself approach and improve the yards as time, budget and energy permits. I built a small retaining wall in the front to address the slope of the yard and used broken concrete creates pathways throughout the property.

Many plants and flowers were started from free seed packets and seedlings from the Master Gardeners at the Mar Vista Farmers Market or from 99 cent store plants.  Neighbors contributed mulberry saplings to my endeavors. Large agave, some fruit trees, grape vines, and artichokes were transplanted from other parts of the property. 

Shade trees (some from City Trees), flowers, fruit trees, herbs, vegetables and vining plants invite lots of bees, birds and butterflies. Monarch butterflies frequent my milkweed plants. A layer of mulch (supplied by the City) keeps the soil moist. Water efficient drip irrigation is monitored by a Rachio Irrigation controller, accessible by my smartphone. 

There's also a beautiful mural on the side of the garage by local artist, Gus Harper.

3610 Ocean View Avenue

This fantastic 120-foot deep front yard was an uninspiring swath of half-dead lawn. The homeowners asked Kevin Connelly of Park Connelly Landscape Design to make it into something welcoming. The aim was to make the long access to the house a pleasant stroll through a park-like setting, with various areas for lounging, entertaining, meditation and vegetable gardening. 

The design incorporates an existing Chinese Elm and a mature pine. A rectangular concrete patio which was cracked and displaced was recycled into a more gracious, wandering and “softer” walkway leading from the sidewalk to the front door. 

The homeowners' favorite feature is a yin-yang symbol constructed with white and black river stones as a 6ʼ diameter “junction” midway in the yard. A secondary gravel path leads from here to a quiet area bench and continues on to the raised vegetable planter box. It also helps to visually break up the distance to the house. A water feature near the deck entrance also reflects the welcoming aspects of a Feng Shui design. 

Landscape designer Kevin Connelly will be on site all day to answer your questions.

3590 Ocean View Avenue

This front yard garden was added eight years ago when the owners moved into the house. The previous yard was nothing more than weeds and the owners wanted to make it into a water-wise garden. With the help of a local landscaper, they designed the garden to feel like a wild field and to include specific plants such as the Foxtail Agave, Firesticks, Dodonea, Sage, Aloe and other drought-tolerant plants. The biggest addition was the California Live Oak Tree. While the main layout hasn't changed, some plants had to be changed or removed over time. The best part of the garden now is the maturing FireStick plants which tower over the front yard. The owners love to watch the ever-present hummingbirds zoom around the garden.

The garden has no irrigation so plants must really be able to survive dry conditions. During the summer months, the garden is watered by hand but mostly survives on its own during the winter.

13014 Morningside Way

Come sit on one of these bonafide Dodger Stadium seats.

There's a lot to see and learn in this garden!  

On an average residential lot, these garden owners have used every inch to incorporate chickens, bees, vegetable garden - especially heirloom tomatoes and herbs - succulents and mostly low water California native plants. It's their "urban farm."

About 15 years ago, one took a class at Theodore Payne to learn about California native plants and was hooked. They removed the backyard lawn and installed an all CA native landscape complete with a fountain for birds and other animals. Recently they replaced one section with succulents.

Seven years ago, inspired by the tranquility of their new backyard, the homeowners decided to transform the front as well, incorporating a dry-rock river bed that serves as a swale into the design. They left several existing trees and a few camelia bushes, then filled in with drought-tolerant plants. Ceanothus, manzanitas, fairy duster monkey flower and blooming sages grow along the dry river bed.

The parkway has less dense plantings and decomposed granite to ensure easy access from a car parked on the street. A six-inch wide rock drainage around the parking strip to control water run-off from the sidewalk solved an erosion problem and also adds a design element. 

The areas that were once thirsty lawn now use almost no water except in severe drought. Irrigation is almost completely by underground drippers and individual bubblers.  

The owners keep two compost bins going, utilizing the chicken manure. They have several bird feeders and big pots with milkweed for the Monarch butterflies. The house has solar panels installed by Sungevity.

The garden owners will have information about free mulch locations and can help with questions about chickens and beekeeping. They'll also have forms for certifying your habitat with the National Wildlife Foundation.  There will be a beekeeping demonstration, as the homeowner is part of HoneyLove, and strained and comb honey for sampling.  

 

3967 Coolidge Avenue - Cluster 1F

Volunteers from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation completed this demonstration rain garden just in time for the 2012 Showcase

It's featured in a new DWP Public Service Announcement: Pretend

Come see how it's grown!

All the plants are CA natives. The garden is full of sedges, rushes, grasses with interspersed colors and scents of California Rose and Yerba Mensa, Canyon Sunflower, Monkeyflower, Sages, Yarrow, Mugwort. 

Milkweed is planted for Monarch butterflies. The garden attracts many butterflies, bees, birds & insects. 

All the rainwater, which is captured by house and garage downspouts, flows into the garden. It is dispersed by the plants and by underground gravel pits.

Watering is done by hand once every 2 - 3 weeks in the dry season. Mulch and compost tea are added for maintenance. 

Last year, the garden owners installed a plank bridge along path to the house.

What qualifies it as a rain garden?
A rain garden is a garden of native perennials, shrubs and small trees planted in a small depression designed to temporarily hold and soak in rainwater runoff that flows from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, walkways and compacted lawn areas. Basically a rain garden receives rainwater channeled via gutters and connected pipes, allowing the rainwater to soak into the ground, as opposed to flowing into storm drains. Compared to conventional lawns, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground. Most rain gardens are built to hold a 1" rain event.

Every time it rains, the water runoff from impervious surfaces collects pollutants such as particles of dirt, fertilizers, chemicals, oils, garbage and bacteria along the way. The pollutant-laden rainwater enters the storm drain untreated.  Storm water runoff accounts for 70% of all the water pollution nationwide. Rain gardens collect rainwater runoff allowing water to be filtered by vegetation. A rain garden retains water just long enough to percolate into the soil where the plants and soil microorganisms breakdown and remove the pollutants. By keeping the water onsite and preventing it from flowing onto impervious surfaces, a rain garden lessens the amount of contaminated water entering storm drains.

Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they have adapted to Southern California's dry conditions. Native plants attract birds, bees, wildlife and beneficial insects that have evolved alongside these plants. In keeping with the idea of improving water quality, they do not require fertilizers. A rain garden using selected plants native to the region requires little watering once it's established. The plants are selected with large root structures to allow runoff to soak into the ground. Water that makes it past the roots moves through filtering soil layers before entering the groundwater system. Rocks may be strategically placed so that storm water runoff is slowed, allowing for better absorption and preventing erosion.

In summary, a rain garden:

• Attracts a diversity birds, bees, and beneficial insects.
• Protects oceans land-based runoff pollution.
• Provides an attractive alternative to a traditional lawn.
• Doesn't need mowing or fertilizer as with traditional lawn.
• Requires little watering after plants are established; 60% to 70% of drinking water is used for conventional landscaping.
• Saves money that would be spent on irrigation.