Fidel Banuelos, a garden adopter and retired teacher, will lead a nature tour on Saturday August 15th. The tour participants will see how California native plants survive the summer months. This is a free guided tour of the Tule River Parkway Native Plant Demonstration Gardens. We welcome all ages. Fidel will provide the tour in English and Spanish as needed. The parkway has a drinking fountain and there are benches throughout the gardens.
California native plants exist in all the climate zones of California. The plants which are locally native to the Southeastern San Joaquin Valley use strategies to live through the hot dry summer months. These strategies vary from species to species but follow a few predictable patterns. Fidel will explain gardening techniques which support healthy plant growth at the same time as minimizing the need to add summer waterings. Plant selection, matching plant needs to existing shade/sun conditions, and hydro zoning are a few of the factors which increase garden beauty while minimizing irrigation needs.
This tour is an opportunity to hear from and speak with an expert gardener. The Tule River Parkway Native Plant Gardens provide an outdoor classroom where the public can experience and learn from nature. The gardens contain over 100 species of California native plants. Each garden has a web page which includes the garden plan and plant list. The website address is tuleriverparkwayassociation.org. These gardens are open year-round and are maintained by community garden adopters and other volunteers. The gardens demonstrate the beauty and benefits of planting California native plants. Currently there are over 10 species blooming in the gardens.
Join the tour by meeting Fidel at the kiosk near the west end of the Jaye Street parking lot at 9 am. Enter the lot from southbound Jaye Street across the street from Harbor Freight at the Tule River in Porterville. The tour is free to the public and is hosted by the Tule River Parkway Association.
The Tule River Parkway Native Plant Demonstration Gardens are a section of the Tule River Parkway. The parkway is a pedestrian and bicycle path that runs from Fallen Hero’s Park, a city park near Plano, to the junction of HYW 65 and 190. The gardens contain 32 individual gardens each planted with California native plants. Each garden is adopted by a local family, club, or business. There are three gardens and two patio areas currently available for adoption. For more information call Cathy Capone at 559 361 9164 or visit tuleriverparkwayassociation@gmail.com