Plant It Forward Goes Virtual to Celebrate New Volunteer Garden Stewards Corps and Kate Sessions
The Balboa Park Conservancy invites everyone to dig in for a hands-on virtual Plant It Forward event, celebrating the launch of the Garden Stewards volunteer initiative and the legacy of Kate Sessions. From May 1 to 8, 2021, the Conservancy is partnering with SDG&E to present a family-friendly series on climate-friendly garden stewardship to help budding gardeners of all ages “plant it forward” in their own backyards.
With an SDG&E Environmental Champions grant, the Conservancy created online curriculum to train new Garden Stewards, including a series of mini-video tutorials on native and climate-appropriate plants and other engaging gardening topics. The videos will be posted throughout the first week of May on the PlantItForwardonline hub. Participants are invited to pick up a free narrow leaf milkweed plant or pomegranate sapling at the Balboa Park Visitors Center on select days and times:
- May 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Conservancy tent in the Plaza de Panama
- May 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., inside Balboa Park Visitors Center, or at Conservancy tent in the Plaza de Panama
- May 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Conservancy tent in the Plaza de Panama
At-home participants are encouraged to do their own part to protect and renew natural habitats and landscapes through planting native species to attract pollinators, removing invasive species, composting, and using best water conservation practices in their yards. While learning about garden stewardship through the virtual event’s videos and hands-on engagement, participants can also share their own images, stories, and garden tips on social media with the hashtag #plantitforward.
First launched in 2019 to celebrate the invaluable horticultural contributions Kate Sessions made to Balboa Park, Plant It Forward 2021 is timed to commemorate the First Annual Flower Festival on May 8, 1888, organized by Kate Sessions, to raise funds for a new building for the Woman’s Home Association in Balboa Park.
This year’s virtual installment of Plant It Forward is also designed to inspire garden stewardship throughout San Diego in conjunction with the launch of the Conservancy’s Garden Stewards initiative. The new Balboa Park Garden Stewards are a corps of specially trained volunteers who assist the city’s Parks and Recreation department in maintaining the park’s 18 public gardens with routine gardening tasks, while also serving as garden docents. For more information, visit https://balboaparkconservancy.org/plant-it-forward-2021/
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