The Spring Wildflower Show is more than just flowers; it's a community event. In addition to hundreds of flowers from prairies, woodlands, and wetlands from all over northwest California, there will be demonstrations of gardening, edible and medicinal plants, rare plants, invasive plants, Native American culture, Sudden Oak Death, habitats, and live insects. There will also be guided walks in the dunes, Art Night, a native plant sale, and more. Two to three hour student and youth group programs, including a walk in the dunes, are available on Friday by pre-scheduled appointment (707-444-1397 or suziefriendsofthedunes.org).

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS

Art Night - Friday, April 29, 7 p.m. Rick Tolley coordinates a friendly evening of drawing flowers at the show, accompanied by live music. Bring your own materials or use what Rick brings. No art experience required. Please register: 707-668-5301.

Native Plant Sale - Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. A tremendous variety of native plants for home gardeners will be for sale. All proceeds support CNPS, North Coast Chapter. 707-826-0259.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS:

Art Night, Friday April 29, 7 pm.: coordinated by Rick Tolley. Free drawing workshop coached by local artists, with live music and a friendly atmosphere. An opportunity to draw any of the flowers in the show. Bring your own materials, or Rick will supply them. No art experience required. 707-668-5301.

Native Plant Sale, Saturday and Sunday April 30, May 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Trees, shrubs, ferns, perennials, and ground covers, from three local nurseries and from many volunteer growers. Experienced gardeners will help buyers select. Proceeds support the California Native Plant Society, North Coast Chapter.

Designing Native Plant Gardens: Saturday April 30, 11 a.m.: an illustrated talk focusing on garden design using native plant communities. Donna Wildearth is the owner of Garden Visions Landscape Design, and also teaches landscape design through the OLLI program. She has gone on many native plant expeditions, both locally and around the state, and is a strong advocate of incorporating native plants in gardens.

Guided Walks in The Dunes: Saturday April 30, 10 a.m., "Flora of the Dunes," with local artist, and Friends of the Dunes docent, Patty Sennott. Sunday May 1, 10 a.m., "Amazing Adaptations of Dune Plants," with artist, botanist, and Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge ecologist, Andrea Pickart.

Native Traditions, Sunday May 1, noon: Skip Lowry will discuss the role of the redwood in traditional and contemporary Yurok society and discuss traditional natural resource management, specifically the use of fire. Materials for building traditional plank houses and basket materials will be shown. Kate Lowry will present a video of basketry.
Skip does maintenance at Patrick's Point State Park, and in 2005-6 supervised reconstruction of the Yurok plank houses. He is interested in cultural resource interpretation. A tribal member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria, he is of Maidu, Pit River, and Yurok descent. Kate Lowry teaches K-3 at Weitchpec Yurok Elementary Magnet School, and is of Wyndot and Ojibway descent.

Medicinal Plants, Sunday May 1, 2 p.m.: Christa Sinadinos is the founder and the director of the Northwest School for Botanical Studies. She has studied medicinal herbs for over twenty years and has practiced clinical herbalism for sixteen.

Other Presenters: "Introducing the Lily Family," Saturday April 30, noon - Judie Hinman is a lifelong botanizer, explorer, and gardener, especially fond of the lily family. "Photographing Flowere," Saturday, April 30, 1 p.m. - Ann Wallace is an enthusiastic outdoorsperson, and inspired photographer.

VOLUNTEER - You can help this festive event! We need people to collect flowers from near and far, to identify them, arrange them, set up tables, assist visitors, bring refreshments for the volunteers, lead school groups, etc. Small and big jobs, indoor and outdoor jobs, public and behind-the-scene jobs. Most require no formal botanical knowledge - though "plant people" are welcome, too!
707-822-2015, 707-822-7190, 707-826-0259,.

Teachers Resources Online (2004)

IS IT OK TO PICK WILDFLOWERS?

1. Is it legal to pick this species? Some are protected by law. If I am on private land, do I have permission from the landowner? If on public land, do I have permission from the authorities?

2. Plants make flowers for reproduction. Are there enough extra plants or blossoms so that my picking will not affect the survival of the local population? Am I picking an unusual variety of this species, and will I affect its survival in this location?

3. By picking this flower, will I be depriving others of the enjoyment of seeing the flower in its natural setting? ... a likely possibility if the flower is growing within view of a path or road.

4. Am I picking for educational purposes? The flowers in this show were picked so that large numbers of people could enjoy them and learn more about our rich heritage of wild plants.

Remember - when in doubt, take a photograph. A photo lasts much longer than the flower itself, and more people will get the chance to enjoy it. Plus photography lets you capture and share the experience of seeing the flower in its natural setting.

(Copyright 2005, NC-CNPS)