The Regional Parks Botanic Garden hosts its 30th annual sale of California native plants on Saturday, April 19, 2008, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festive and popular sale offers the public a once-a-year opportunity to select from an unmatched diversity of native plants, including flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and ornamental grasses, many of which are not available in a commercial nursery. Look for plenty of iris, ceanothus, and sages. The sale features plants to fit conditions in any Bay Area garden, with experts on hand to provide advice and gardening tips. Volunteers will sell books, seeds, and refreshments.

All proceeds from the sale directly benefit the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, which has served the community for more than 65 years as a place of beauty and learning.

According to garden Director Steve Edwards, "Funds raised by the plant sale keep the Botanic Garden fiscally secure through budget fluctuations and supply the tools and materials needed to achieve our mission." That mission is broad, focusing first and foremost on the creation of a beautiful and diverse landscape of California native plants for public enjoyment, but also encompassing education, conservation, and horticultural research.

For the public, the sale provides a special opportunity to purchase native plants propagated from the Botanic Garden's collection, including many that are not available anywhere else.

The garden's first plant sale was organized in 1979 by concerned volunteers working to offset drastic budget cuts. Forced by these budget reductions to charge admission for the first time in its history, the Regional Parks Botanic Garden saw its attendance drop by more than 50 percent. The success of the first plant sale allowed the garden to eliminate the admission fee, and visiting the garden remains free of charge to this day.

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is a 10-acre California native plant garden within the East Bay Regional Park District. It is located at the intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, in Tilden Regional Park. The garden is open between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day except New Year's, Thanksgiving, and Christmas days. Parking and admission to the garden are free.

For more information, please call (510) 841-8732 or visit www.ebparks.org/parks/vc/botanic_garden online.

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