Home and garden tours and seminars

MARCH 28

Cymbidium show:

San Gabriel Valley branch of the Cymbidiun Society of America hosts an orchid show with potting demonstrations and an orchid sale. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 28 and 29. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Free with regular admission of $5 to $7. (626) 821-4623, www.arboretum.org.

Bonsai show:

California Bonsai Society presents its 52nd annual show, featuring more than 100 specimens created by bonsai masters. An exhibit of Chinese-style “scholar’s rocks” in African malachite also will be on view. 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 28 and 29. Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Free. (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org.

Seasonal Gardener series:

Steve Gerischer discusses starting a summer garden now and planting bulbs and containers. 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. $22 and $25. (626) 821-4623, www.arboretum.org.

Teak restoration:

Teak Master, a teak refinishing company, will demonstrate how to restore and take care of teak furniture. Noon. Smith & Hawken at Plaza El Segundo, 780 S. Sepulveda Blvd., El Segundo. Store will give 20% coupon to workshop participants. Free. Reservations: (310) 726-7341.

Native plants:

Learn propagation techniques. 9 a.m. to noon. Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers & Native Plants, 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley. $35 to $45. Reservations required: (818) 768-1802 www.theodorepayne.org.

Tomatomania!:

Annual seedlings sale will include more than 300 varieties. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 28 and 29. Tapia Brothers Farm Stand, 5251 Hayvenhurst Ave., Encino. (323) 363-0844; www.tomatomania.com.

Descanso sale:

Gardeners can buy a variety of plants, including rooted cuttings from Descanso Gardens’ rose garden and warm-weather lilacs developed on site. Park in the auxiliary lot for easy access to the Lake House Nursery. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Free. (818) 949-4200, www.descansogardens.org.

Quilt show:

Glendale Quilt Show will feature hundreds of new and antique quilts, plus workshops. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 29. Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, 2500 Hollywood Way. $9 to $15. Husbands get in free on Sunday. www.glendalequiltguild.org.

Japanese gardens:

More than 20 experts will speak at the International Conference on Japanese Gardens Outside Japan, sponsored by the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden and the College of the Arts at Cal State Long Beach. Fee for entire conference: $275. For a complete schedule of speakers and events, go to www.csulb.edu or call Jamie Higgins at (562) 985-2169.

Irrigation class:

Irrigation consultant Bob Galbreath leads a class on the basic techniques and equipment for efficient irrigation of urban gardens. 10 a.m. to noon. 250 Santa Monica Pier (green building next to the historic Carousel Building, just east of Rusty’s Surf Ranch.) $25 to $30. (818) 768-1802; www.theodorepayne.org.

Plant sale:

The Friends Western School annual spring plant sale will feature drought-tolerant and native ornamental plants plus heirloom organic herb and vegetable seedlings. Garden experts will be on hand to offer advice, and there will be sustainable living workshops, food and children’s activities. 10 a.m. to noon March 28, noon to 3 p.m. March 29. Free. 524 E. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena (626) 793-2727; www.friendswesternschool.org.

MARCH 29

Pasadena homes:

Pasadena Heritage’s spring home tour, “The California Style: Johnson, Kaufmann & Coate,” will highlight six historic properties created by Pasadena architects Reginald Johnson, Gordon Kaufmann and Roland Coate. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. $32 to $36 in advance, $40 on day of tour at Pasadena Heritage, 651 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. (626) 441-6333; www.pasadenaheritage.org.

MARCH 31

Chinese gardens:

Ronald Egan, professor of East Asian languages and cultural studies at UC Santa Barbara, will discuss the symbolism of flowers in Chinese literature and art. 7:30 p.m. Friends Hall at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Free. (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org.

APRIL 1

Arboretum series:

Botanical consultants David Lofgren and Frank McDonough will lead a garden tour featuring Australian plants. 1:30 to 3 p.m. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. $5 to $7. (626) 821-4623, www.arboretum.org.

APRIL 2

Garden series:

John Schoustra, owner of Greenwood Daylily Gardens, discusses irises for Southern California as part of the “Thursday Garden Talks With Lili Singer” series. 9:30 a.m. to noon. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. $20. (626) 821-4623, www.arboretum.org.

APRIL 3

Home show:

The 33rd annual Home Remodeling & Decorating Show & Eco-Expo. Noon to 8 p.m. April 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 4 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 5. Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Free. (818) 557-2950, www.thehomeshow.com.

APRIL 4

Native plants:

The sixth annual Theodore Payne self-guided native plant garden tour will include more than 45 private landscapes -- 18 of them new to the tour -- from Monrovia to Long Beach. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 4 and 5. $20 for both days. For descriptions, slide show and plant lists: www.theodorepayne.org.

Kitchen gardens:

Marta Teegan of the garden design and maintenance firm Homegrown leads a class on growing an organic kitchen garden in raised beds. The class will cover the basics of soil, water, seed propagation, planting methods and composting. 10 a.m. to noon. $50. “Grow Delicious Tomatoes” will follow from 1 to 2 p.m. $30. To register, e-mail: marta@homegrownlosangeles.com.

CONTINUING

Japan show:

“The Subtle Beauty of Japanese Craft” features metal, textile, wood and clay works from the Mingei International Museum’s renowned collection of Japanese folk art, craft and design. 1439 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, through June 28. $4 to $7. (619) 239-0003, www.mingei.org.

Neutra tour

:

Richard and Dion Neutra’s VDL Research House II, managed by Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Environmental Design, will be open to the public 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. 2300 Silver Lake Blvd., Los Angeles. $10. www.neutravdl.org.

-- Lisa Boone

Please send listings at least three weeks in advance to home@latimes.comor to the Home section, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012.