California Garden & Potager: Why I Joined the California Native Plant Society
engagedabroad
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As a fourth-generation Californian, I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by nature. My childhood was filled with afternoons spent reading beneath the shade of Live Oak trees and towering Redwoods at the base of the Sierra Azul Mountains. Nature, gardens, and the outdoors have always symbolized more than physical spaces. They are metaphors for personal growth, creativity, and a sense of belonging—places where I connect to something larger than myself.
It was my grandmother’s garden that truly shaped my love for the natural world. I spent countless hours there, feeling the earth’s rhythm beneath my fingertips as she lovingly cared for each plant. Every seed she planted was imbued with purpose, a quiet reflection of her profound connection to the earth. Her work was a gentle dance, guided by years of experience and years of learning the rhythm of nature. She knew when to water, when to prune, when to harvest. Her garden was alive with the buzz of bees and the rustling of leaves, but more than that, it was infused with her presence—quiet, steady, and enduring, like the hum of life itself.
As an adult, I have cultivated my own garden, which has become a sanctuary for both literal and metaphorical growth. The hours spent with my husband digging another hole for our next batch of plants, my toddler daughter’s laughter as she watches bees dance around our Salvia, or the moments I spend writing on a bench next to a cluster of purple-hued Ceanothus Concha—these small moments tie me more deeply to the garden, transforming it from a mere space into an integral part of my relationships and sense of self.
Today, as a member of the California Native Plant Society, I strive to share the joy and reverence I’ve found in gardening with others. I believe gardens are not just places for personal reflection; they are spaces that unite us. They connect us to one another and to the earth. There is perhaps no greater gift than creating a space where people can find connection, inspiration, and growth.
Gardens remind us that every effort is indeed an act of goodness, for it nurtures not only the earth but also the soul. Whether it’s a windowsill herb garden, a community plot, or a small patch of earth reclaimed in an urban landscape, each garden is a testament to the idea that anyone, anywhere, can be a gardener. It serves as a reminder that nature belongs to us all, and that even in the smallest of spaces, life can flourish.
