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Whether you’re looking to tour a historic garden, learn some gardening skills or explore local flora and fauna, you’ll find plenty of opportunities on the Peninsula. Check out our December home & garden events calendar.
Winter fruit-tree pruning
11 a.m.-noon., Saturday, Jan. 10 | online | free |Registration required
Winter is the best time to prune fruit trees because they’re dormant, and you can see the tree structure. Learn proper pruning timing and technique that will allow your trees to produce the best fruit during this online workshop hosted by the Mountain View Public Library.
UC Master Gardener Allen Buchinski will teach the why, how and when of pruning for best structure and fruit production. Allen has worked at the Emma Prusch Park Farm High-Density Fruit Orchard, where the trees are kept small and at a reduced height to to allow easy, ladder-free harvesting.
California native garden design series
10 a.m.- noon, Saturday, Jan. 17 (part I) and Saturday, Feb.21 (Part II) | Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto | Tickets and information
Learn how to create a beautiful, resilient garden rooted in California’s natural landscapes in this two-part interactive class that explores the art and ecology of native garden design, blending classroom learning with outdoor experiences at Gamble Garden.
In the first class, you’ll gain an understanding of California’s unique physical geography, microclimates and diverse plant communities. Learn how garden and architectural features shape growing conditions and how to match them with native plants that will thrive. You’ll evaluate your own space, explore design fundamentals and leave inspired to create a native garden plan of your own.
The second class takes your learning further with an in-depth look at design strategie s— both traditional and plant-community–based. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the renovation of Gamble Garden’s native plant garden.
Classes can be taken together or separately.
‘A Walk in the Garden’ hike
1-4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 17 | Windy Hill Preserve, Portola Valley | Free | More information
Explore nature’s garden of native plants, ferns and fungi that start growing in response to winter rain while hiking Windy Hill Preserve’s Lost Trail from one end to the other. Docent naturalists Susan Bernhard, Ann Reisenauer, Noa Doitel and Maureen Draper will lead this 2.5-mile leisurely paced jaunt: The trail is wide, well graded, relatively flat, and wends through Douglas fir forest habitat where you’ll listen for birds and other forest dwellers and take a closer look at these moist areas for water-loving organisms such as fungi, ferns, mosses and lichen. Expect to see a diversity of plant species, possibly including miner’s lettuce, redwood sorrel, poison hemlock, California poppies and stinging nettle..
Meet at the Anniversary Trail picnic tables roadside parking (Highway 35), just south of Anniversary trailhead at Windy Hill Preserve.
Final week for ‘Holidays at Filoli’
10 a.m. – 9 p.m., daily, now – Jan. 11 | Filoli Historic House & Garden, 86 Cañada Road, Woodside | Tickets required. Prices vary.
This is the final week to see the historic Filoli estate decked out in holiday decor. Holidays at Filoli, which kicked off on Nov. 22, transforms the historic estate into a wonderland of breathtaking beauty and festive delight.
Seed and cutting exchange
1-3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 24 | Peninsula Conservation Center, 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto | Free |Information
Share and receive native plant seeds and cuttings, from easy-to-grow favorites to hard-to-find varieties. The Santa Clara Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society will provide coin envelopes for seeds; please bring containers to take cuttings home. Gardeners with native plant material to share are encouraged to bring it along. Labeling cuttings is helpful for browsing — some participants include growing tips, while others attach photos of the plants in bloom.
Seed swap & ‘Lavender for Healthy Skin’
10 a.m.-1p.m., Saturday, Jan.31 | East Palo Alto Community Garden, 230 Demeter St, East Palo Alto | Free | Registration required
Have seeds to share? Looking for new ones to grow? Want to learn the benefits of lavender? You can do all of this at the Community Seed Exchange and Lavender for Healthy Skin workshop hosted by Fresh Approach.
The event will provide a hands-on opportunity to learn lavender relaxation rituals with DaphneGardens Skincare. Discover how lavender has been used for bathing and scenting for more than 2,500 years and how its essential oil remains a staple in modern aromatherapy and skincare.
For the seed exchange, participants who plan to share seeds should bring them in packets labeled with the name, collection date, season and type (heirloom or hybrid). Pens and envelopes will be available on-site if needed.d journey through the elegantly decorated house and garden and explore Thistlewyck, an enchanting village in the Redwoods. At night, immerse yourself in the glowing wonder of Holiday Lights.
College Terrace self-guided walking tour
From Victorians, early Craftsman and English cottages to Spanish Colonial Revival bungalows, a log cabin and ornate Queen Annes, Palo Alto’s College Terrace neighborhood boasts an eclectic mix of architectural styles spanning the past 100 years. There’s a historic home on nearly every block of this 12-block neighborhood located between El Camino Real, Amherst Street and Stanford and California avenues.
The nonprofit preservation group Palo Alto Stanford Heritage (PAST) created a self-guided walking tour for those interested in exploring this neighborhood. The online guide includes the origins of College Terrace as well as the history of homes and architectural styles in the neighborhood.
‘Fruit Tree Pruning and Stewardship 101’
10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Feb. 7 | East Palo Alto Charter School , 1286 Runnymede St., East Palo Alto | Free | Registration required
Learn fruit tree care basics from community team members of the nonprofit Fresh Approach at East Palo Alto Charter School. The school’s on-site fruit trees will be used for hands-on demonstrations covering pruning techniques, tool selection and maintenance, and best practices for watering and nurturing the soil around trees.
Homebuying webinar
Noon-1 p.m.,Tuesday, Feb. 10 | Zoom | Free | Registration required
Learn homebuying basics in this one-hour webinar hosted by Stanford Federal Credit Union. A Realtor and mortgage consultant will share tips on how to find and buy a home with the most favorable terms and help participants understand the homebuying process and financing options. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.