Catching up: Ojai Day
Volunteers staffed a booth in the Going Green area at Ojai Day on Saturday, October 15th.
The display was designed to provide information about alternatives to a typical lawn. Lawns require a lot of water and maintenance, and are the reason many homeowners use fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, and nitrate fertilizers that pollute our waterways. 
Several different lawn alternatives were presented, such as native meadows, greenswards of native grasses, succulent gardens, herb gardens, and edible landscaping. Landscape designer Kathy Nolan was kind enough to lend us her plan for a suburban edible landscape, which provided a myriad of ideas for visitors to the booth.
Landscape designer and garden educator Kate Riley stopped by to sit at our table and answer questions about native grasses and meadows.
Herbalist Carol Wade was on hand to answer questions about growing herbs. 
Many people stopped by the display throughout the day. 
Visitors to the booth went home with a packet of California poppy seeds to plant this winter.
Photos by Les Dublin.
The children came to see what California native plants look like before they plant their own schoolyard habitat garden to provide some food for the wildlife in their area. Each group learned about the native plants in the garden and, while they were there, they learned a little bit about composting, too. 
Photos by Les Dublin.
Your oak trees are an important part of your landscape, and they are even more important to the environment! Come learn how you can get the most from your trees, and how to avoid extra expenses to maximize your “green investment.” The workshop will take place rain or shine on Saturday, October 22, from 10:00am to 11:30am, in the City of Ojai Community Demonstration Garden. The garden is located at 401 South Ventura St., behind City Hall. Seating on the benches is limited so feel free to bring a chair for a comfortable seat.