Marin County 

BOLINAS:

POETRY GARDEN RESTORATION PROJECT
MG: Debra Brandon, 868-1502 or Ashley Ratcliff, 868-0681
One-half acre of Marin County Open Space in downtown Bolinas, is being returned to California coastal native species.
**Volunteer & have fun learning about natives and coastal environment. Call Ashley!

 

FAIRFAX:

BENNETT HOUSE
MG Coordinator: Trevor Hughes 453-6266
Senior Citizens Residence with general garden needs.
**Workdays are Tuesdays.

SUSTAINABLE BACKYARD - HOMESCALE PERMACULTURE DEMONSTRATION
MG Coordinator: Pam Hartwell-Herrero, 721- 0621, pam@sustainablefairfax.org
A workshop is being built to help transform an average Marin backyard into a demonstration site for food production, water reclamation, compost, habitat, native plantings and integrated pest management. Site will be open to the public early summer 2007. www.sustainablefairfax.org
**No work days scheduled at this time.

Class schedule follows- Please join us for our Sustainable Backyard class teaching applied permaculture. We have received a grant from Marin Community Foundation that will insure a great education for you and a truly transformed demonstration space for the community. The course will teach sustainable methods for use in schools, your backyard, community gardens, or public green space using applied permaculture principles and practices. It will be taught by permaculture practitioners from Sentient Landscape and other instructors and will include: design, water catchment, drought tolerant plants, composting, family gardens, growing organic food, plant guilds, habitat plants, non-toxic pest control, and natural building.

 

All classes are held from 9am-3pm in downtown Fairfax.

Class Schedule
October 21-22- Sat-Sun Class (open for drop in)
Natural building with Cob. Mix clay soil with straw and make furniture or an oven November 4th-Creating habitat: Encouraging wildlife diversity with boulders and herb spiral and Integrated Pest Management. Help make your backyard a pesticide free wildlife sanctuary.

 

November 11-12 Sat-Sun Class (open for drop in)
Plants and drip irrigation; native, habitat, medicinal, and food forest. Grow food and medicine for your family and learn the mysteries of low maintenance, water saving drip systems
Spring series-April dates TBA
Using Recycled materials: Entry gate or mosaic on concrete.
Solar features in the garden
Whole class-Early Bird price is $350 (Price extended to all sign ups-tell your friends) This class can cost as much as $1500! Price includes Gaia's Garden-A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture by Toby Hemingway.
Drop-in price for either Cob building October 21-22 or Permaculture planting and irrigation on November 11-12 is $100 each.

INVERNESS:

LIBRARY LITERARY GARDEN PROJECT
MG Coordinator: Julie Monson 663-9484.
Combines landscaping improvements and literary quotes to identify plants.
**Volunteers are needed Tuesdays 9:30 to 11:00.

KENTFIELD:

COLLEGE OF MARIN COMMUNITY GARDEN.
MG Coordinator : Sarah Jaeschke 472-7600, sarah.jaeschke@marin.edu

 

LARKSPUR:

MARIN BRAIN INJURY NETWORK (MBIN)
MG Coordinator: Pat Compton 924-6774 pac2jrc@comcast.net
New facility needs landscaping. Grass and wildflower seeds have been sown for winter erosion control (project is along side the Corte Madera Creek Marsh). Raised bed construction and planting will be necessary in the first phase. Karen Halvorsen 461-6719 is coordinating the compost project, including worm bin composting. Future plans include propagation of vegetable and California Native plants,butterfly garden development, and development of garden curriculum for the facility members.

**Hours by arrangement and workdays to be announced.

 

LUCAS VALLEY:

NATIVE PLANT PROPAGATION (Marin Open Space District Nursery and MAGC Nursery)
MG Coordinator: Faith Brown 435-5320 brownsf@aol.com
Collect seed, propagate native plants and plant seedlings for Open Space District sites where invasive plants have been removed.  Old St. Hilary's Open Space in Tiburon is theinaugural location.
**Join in this fun and exciting project and learn about natives while helping your community!! If interested, contact Faith.   Workdays will be announced.

 

MILL VALLEY:

THE REDWOODS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
MG Coordinators: Claire Russell 927-2743 claireru@juno.com and Paula Pelligrino
Redwoods Garden Coordinator, 305-4810 paula@theredwoods.org
Wonderful creek side organic garden. Work with residents and give garden advice on weeding, planting, harvesting, composting and worm bins.
**Spring and summer workdays are Tues., Wed., Thurs 10:00-12:00. Nov. through March workday is Wed. 10:00-12:00. Other hours are available.

 

CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT
MG Coordinator:  Claire Russell 927-2743 claireru@juno.com and Paula Pelligrino
Redwoods Garden Coordinator, 305-4810 paula@theredwoods.org
The Redwoods Retirement Community intends to restore the ecological balance of its section of Corte Madera Creek in a way that it hopes will serve as a model and inspiration for others along the creek. Help remove invasive species, plant native flora and monitor key indices of creek health.  Plans are to serve as an ongoing educational resource for school children and neighbors.
**Workdays are 2-3 times a year to be announced.

 

ELIZABETH TERWILLIGER MARSH UPLAND RESTORATION PROJECT
MG Coordinator: Kim Rago 381-2642 rago316@sbcglobal.net
Habitat restoration between Community Center and Middle School. Continuing help is needed to add more native plants, mulch, weed, and extend drip irrigation. A small butterfly and hummingbird garden area have been added.  Interpretive signs about the benefits of native plants will be installed.  Refreshments and camaraderie are served!
**Workdays planned for one to two Saturdays a month to be announced. Meet in front of the Mill Valley Community Center at 9:30 and work until noon.

 

THREE GROVES RESTORATION Homestead Valley Land Trust
MG Coordinator: Sandy Waks 389-9321 waksy@earthlink.net
The garden continues to grow up and out. Since the tree fell there is more sunlight and area to plant.
***If you would like to help please call Sandy 389-9321.Flexible schedule.

 

NOVATO:

OLOMPALI STATE PARK, COAST MIWOK
MG Coordinator; Lynn von der Werth, 897-9309, lynnvdw@verizon.net
The Olompali People, a non-profit organization is in the midst of developing a Native Cultural Interpretive Plant program at the Coast Miwok Village nestled in the hills of the Olompali state park in Novato. The garden will be used to educate park visitors on the use of native plants as established by Native Americans that inhabited the region years ago. The Coast Miwok Village can trace 8000 years of continuous use by inhabitants and is a designated Historical American Landscape Survey Site.

**Work side by side with Clint Kellner, biologist/entomologist and Diane Einstein, Chairwomen of the Olompali People and Sonoma Master Gardener. We will be planting and maintaining native plants, eradicating non natives, working with irrigation and designing and installing educational sign-age. Come and get your hours in this beautiful historical setting. Come and join the monthly work group on the second Sunday of each month from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Take Hwy 101 north, use over pass at Redwood Landfill in Novato to go south bound on Hwy 101. Take Olompali State Park exit. Leave a "Miwok/volunteer" note on your dash board to avoid the parking fee. Follow trail markers to Coast Miwok village. Tools will be supplied but bring your gloves, water and sunscreen. Call Lynn at 897-9309

 

GRANT AVENUE FARMERS MARKET
MG Coordinator; Lynn von der Werth, 897-9309, lynnvdw@verizon.net
There is a MG table on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 4:30 to 8pm.
**The market  runs from May to September.

 

ROSS:

MARIN ART AND GARDEN CENTER
MG Coordinator: Charlotte Torgovitsky, 455-5263, Torgovitsky@comcast.net
A wide variety of projects on which to use and further your craft.
MAGC Habitat Sanctuary - (The entire MAGC grounds is certified as a Wildlife Habitat Sanctuary by the National Wildlife Federation).  Come help at various sites throughout the Center maintaining and developing the gardens.  Learn about natives, habitat plants (butterflies!) and the best propagation and planting techniques.

 

Compost Demonstrations - Help teach MG's and the public about composting techniques and methods.
Garden Education Programs Project - help plan/and or volunteer at Garden Education Programs and Events.
**Regular workdays are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 - 4pm. Saturday events and work days in spring and summer will be announced in the newsletter and via E-mail. Interested volunteers can call or e-mail Charlotte.

 

MARIN ROSE SOCIETY ROSE GARDEN at Marin Art and Garden Center
MG Coordinators Joan Goff, 388-8552, joanegoff@yahoo.com and Emily Shibata, 479-4865, ews@lvha.net
Organic rose garden in beautiful fenced-in setting on MAGC grounds. Volunteers needed to prune, deadhead, clean-up, and fertilize (we do not spray and we use only organic products!). Come learn how to grow beautiful roses the healthy way and help maintain a wonderful rose garden!!
**Contact Joan for works hours, etc.

 

SAN ANSELMO:

ELDER'S GARDEN MEMORIAL PARK
MG Coordinator: Rohana McLaughlin,  rohanamc@hotmail.com 
A low maintenance garden with shade trees, water feature, native drought-tolerant and deer resistant perennials and grasses. The garden is designed to be a tranquil relaxing place for sitting, contemplating or playing chess, checkers or horse shoes.
**Work parties monthly, usually on the third Saturday of the month, from 9 to noon, weather permitting.

 

 

SAN DOMENICO SCHOOL ROSE GARDEN
MG Coordinator: Lisa Sebastian, 457-5220, lisasebastian@sbcglobal.net
The San Domenico Rose Garden is a memorial dedicated to the memory of a former San Domenico student, Jennifer Fornos.  The garden has 150 rose bushes, pathways, benches under rose arbors, a bird bath, and a sun dial. It is a cutting garden that staff and students are welcome to help with and enjoy. Master gardeners started helping with the garden in January 2005.
**Next work days will be in early January 2007 with 1 or 2 major pruning days

 

SAN RAFAEL:

CIVIC CENTER GARDEN
MG Coordinator Lynne Jennings, 897-6424, lynnejennings@hotmail.com 
This garden, located at the southern end of the Civic Center, opposite the library, uses a mix of drought tolerant and native plants.
**Occasional work parties needed to tidy in spring and fall and water bi-weekly from May to October.

 

FALKIRK GREENHOUSE
MG Coordinator: Alfred Stone 388-1701 and Sandra Meyers 472-2209, chocolateshark@hotmail.com
Need volunteers to help water, propagate, plant, prune, weed, teachers/speakers, program planners, liaisons with local nurseries.  If you would like to volunteer in a vintage working greenhouse, please join us.
**Workdays are every other Sunday 10:00-noon

 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD, 4th & H Streets, San Rafael.
MG Coordinator: Martha Sherratt, 457-5575.
Martha improves and maintains existing landscaping to make this a welcoming site. No help is required. This serves as a good example of a one person project.

 

DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL GARDEN DESIGN PROGRAM
MG Coordinator Jonathan Toste, 258-9459, jtoste@earthlink.net
Help us create a mini-farm with 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Our beautiful site is bordered by a tiny creek with a grand entrance kiosk. We always need help with program development, field trips to gardens and farms, planting and assistance with teaching our Garden Club students.
**Garden Club meets Tuesdays from 2:15 to 4:00 PM. Other times available to accommodate your schedule. If interested please contact Jonathan (above), or Sadie Melov - 459-7579, sadiemelov@sbcglobal.net

 

ELPIDA HOUSE PRUNING & MAINTENANCE
MG Coordinator Alfred Schmidt, 388-6805, a_6schmidt@msn.com

 

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This project involves occasional pruning and maintenance.  This is an ideal way to involve and educate a resident while restoring the garden.
**No help is required.

 

SEED (School Environmental Education Docents) WATER WISE HABITAT GARDENS
MG Coordinator Cindy Youngless, 472-4858 cindyyou@sbcglobal.net.
Existing demonstration/educational gardens visited by the public and schools need help maintaining and restoring.  Volunteers needed to remove invasive plants, maintain irrigation systems, plant new drought tolerant low maintenance habitat plants provided by SEED, and create plant display signs with  ethno-botany and pollinator information for the public. This is a charming little garden nestled in a birder's paradise!

**Work days will be announced.

SANTA VENETIA:

CASA ALLEGRA, 306 Adrian St.
MG Coordinator: Terry Nevin 383-9323, terrynevin@yahoo.com.
Raised beds with scented garden, wheelchair accessibility design provided by MG architect Al Stone. Project is complete but requires occasional consulting. We need 1 - 2 people maybe 2 hours a month or 1 hour per week for pruning, etc.

 

TIBURON:

BLACKIE'S PASTURE GARDEN
MG Coordinator: Harvey Rogers 435-4498, harvan2@sprynet.com
An 8,000 sq .ft .garden which has over 2,000 drought resistant plants, all natives. This garden is    appreciated by the hundreds of cyclists, walkers and strollers on the bike path. We need helpers every month for weeding, pruning, planting, etc. Come & learn about native plants! Please call Harvey for work session dates.

 

BELVEDERE/TIBURON LANDMARKS SOCIETY ART AND GARDEN CENTER
MG Coordinator: Anne Kasanin 435-4553, akasanin@aol.com
Funding has been provided to make this a showcase garden overlooking the Bay.
**Workday: second Wednesday of the month.

 

BAY AUDUBON CENTER AND SANCTUARY
MG Coordinators: Diane Lynch 435-7401, ddondero@aol.com and Mary Short 457-5842, mlshort@mac.com.
Develop and maintain a habitat garden and other plantings around the historic Lyford House. Audubon is dedicated to conservation and education Pruning, mulching, weeding, planting and general sprucing up is needed.
**THIS PROJECT NEEDS A NEW COORDINATOR. Please contact Diane for more information.

 

CONTACT THE MASTER GARDENER COORDINATOR TO VOLUNTEER ON ANY OF THESE GREAT PROJECTS!!!

Updated 10/12/06