June Events at Descanso Gardens

In the month of June, Descanso Gardens will present many fun family programs, a great Father’ Day luau and concert, classes, garden tours and refreshing hours in a tranquil setting of exceptional beauty. June also is the month of Descanso’s annual benefit to support the Gardens’ growing role as an outdoor classroom to thousands of students.

Unless noted, events are free with Gardens admission. All fees include Gardens admission.

Saturday, June 2: “Champagne & Roses: A Red Carpet Affaire” — 6 p.m.

Descanso’s annual black-tie benefit will offer elegant dining, dancing under the stars, silent auction and live auction under the gavel of TV personality Fritz Coleman. The event is sponsored by S.E.E.D. (Supporting Education and Excellence at Descanso) to generate revenues for the Gardens and the many school programs offered there. For invitation information and costs, call 952-4391.

Saturday, June 9: Horticultural Spotlight, Camellia Care & Pruning — 10 a.m.Early summer is the time to tend camellias to ensure beautiful blooms next winter and spring, and the best place to learn how to do it is Descanso Gardens, home of the largest camellia collection in North America. Descanso’s lead horticulturist Wayne Walker will demonstrate how to prune the plants and clear away old blooms, and he’ll talk about camellias’ favorite fertilizers. Learn what you can do to have bigger flowers and healthy plants. This program is part of Descanso’s regular Horticultural Spotlight series, free to all with Gardens admission.

Thursday, June 15: Wine Tasting, California Coast — 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Patina’s popular summer wine tasting series at Descanso Gardens offers a selection of fine wines, paired with hors d’oeuvres and served in different parts of the Gardens. This first of seven events will feature a selection of wines from northern and southern California, which will be served at the Rose Pavilion. Wine lovers are encouraged to make reservations early.

Fees: $52 ($45 members). To make reservations, call Patina at 790-3663.

Friday-Sunday, June 15-17: Bonsai Society Show — 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Carefully sculpted trees, shrubs and other plants will star at the Descanso Bonsai Society’s 37th annual three-day Bonsai Show, one of the largest of its kind in Southern California. This juried show, which will include all levels of expertise from novice to masters, will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, June 15 through 17.

Experts will explain how to create and care for bonsai. Demonstrations are scheduled at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Raw and completed bonsai plants, tools, pots and related items will be for sale during the show.

Friday, June 15: Night Walk — 7:15 p.m.

The Gardens are a new world after dark. Trees seem closer together and leaves rustle along the path in the cool night breeze. The night life begins for Descanso’s resident nocturnal animals and insects.

Docent Jim Jackson will lead this evening tour of Descanso and share its history. Participants must be at least 12 years old and should wear sensible shoes, and bring a jacket and flashlight. Space is limited so early registration is recommended.

Fees: $15 ($10 members). To register, call 949-7980.

Saturday, June 16: Volunteer Tours—Times below.

Anyone interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at Descanso is invited to tour the Gardens. Separate tours are offered to adults and high school students, as opportunities and scheduling are different for each group. Adult tours will be from 9 to 10 a.m. and student tours will be from 10 to 11 a.m. The volunteer coordinator will meet participants at the Visitor Center for each meeting. No reservations are necessary.

Sunday, June 17: Father’s Day Luau—11 a.m. to 3 p.m. & Concert — 2 to 3 p.m.Families will kick back and kick up their heels Sunday, June 17, at Descanso Gardens’ Father’s Day Cowboy Luau. This happy-hearted family day, festive from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be filled with barbecue, trick roping, crafts and the toe-tapping tunes of the Kahuna Cowboys Jug Band. Everything but food and gift shop purchases is free with Gardens admission. Families will want to arrive early to enjoy it all, including:

BBQ, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Special fare, prepared on the Main Lawn by Patina, includes hamburgers, hot dogs and more. Food item prices will range from $2 to $7.50.

Trick roping, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Expert trick roper Dave Thornbury will demonstrate rope tricks and facilitate family-friendly roping competitions.

Give Dad a card or a tattoo, noon to 2 p.m. Children can create a Father’s Day card in the style of a tapa cloth (Hawaiian bark painting), and decorate themselves and their dads with a hibiscus or cowboy brand tattoo. While supplies last.

Kahuna Cowboys Jug Band concert, 2 to 3 p.m. This colorful group plays a playful romp with more than 20 instruments, performing Hawaiian steel guitar, Western Swing, washtub bass and washboards reminiscent of a 1930s Southern Jug Band.

Mondays-Fridays, June 18-22: Fitness Walks and Yoga Classes begin—Times below.

Descanso Gardens’ Fitness Walks and Yoga program includes a 25-minute fitness walk in a beautiful landscape, a 60-minute yoga practice in a serene Craftsman-styled room, and an attentive teaching team. One instructor demonstrates while the other moves throughout the room, insuring correct and safe use of yoga postures. Both Cara Davis and Cam Hall are certified yoga instructors.

Participants of these 10-week sessions should wear walking shoes and comfortable clothing, and bring an exercise mat and towel. Drop-ins are welcomed, first come, first served, as space allows. Space is not guaranteed for drop-ins.

Morning classes are available from 8:30 to 10 a.m., Mondays from June 18 through Aug. 20; Tuesdays, June 19 through Aug. 21; Wednesdays, June 20 through Aug. 22, and Fridays, June 22 through Aug. 24. Space is limited from the Friday morning class.

Evening classes are available from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, June 19 through Aug. 21 and Wednesdays, June 20 through Aug. 22.

Fees: $140 ($120 members). Walk-in fee: $17. Reservations recommended. Walk-in space is not always available. To register, call 949-7980.

Thursday/Friday, June 21-22: Toddler Treks Classes begin — 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Adults join the fun of exploration with their toddlers during Descanso Gardens’ six-week Toddler Treks with Acorn Bear program. And they have four opportunities to join the classes, designed to foster a love for the natural world among children aged 2 to 4. All classes begin at the Gardens’ Rose Pavilion where experienced volunteers make the program fun for children and adults alike. Crafts and a walk in the landscape will reflect weekly themes and help give adults and children an understanding of each other and nature. Everyone should wear sensible shoes and outdoor clothing.

Dates and themes are June 21 or 22, “Spring into Summer”; June 28 or 29, “Red White and Bloom”; July 5 or 6, “Frogs Make You Hoppy”; July 12 or 13, “Shady Spots”; July 19 or 20, “Who’s Bugging You”; July 26 or 27, “A Dip in the Pond, a Splash in the Stream.”

Fees: Adult/child pair $70 ($60 members) plus $35 for each additional child. Reservations required. Walk-in space is not available. To register, call 949-7980.

Saturday, June 23: Protect Your Oaks — 10 a.m. to noon.

Oak trees, protected by law in California, grow in many homeowners’ gardens. However, many people are unaware of the proper growing conditions and care techniques which help these lovely trees thrive. In this class, Descanso Gardens’ arborist and lead horticulturist Wayne Walker will talk about oak tree care and discuss restoring the balance between the oak trees and other plants in a Southern California garden. After the lecture Walker will lead a walk through Descanso’s extraordinary Oak Forest.

Fees: $20 ($15 members). Reservations recommended. Walk-in space is not always available. To register, call 949-7980.

Mondays, June 25 through July 30: Hula in the Gardens—5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The art of hula will be taught in the serenity of the rose garden. This excellent, yet gentle workout blends graceful movements of dance into a fun fitness program over six weeks.

The mother-daughter teachers Beverley and Andrea Strassburg come from a long line of hula dancers and Hawaiian musicians. Both started training at an early age and enjoy teaching anyone who would like to give hula a try. Space is limited so please register early.

Fees: $80 ($70 for members). Reservations are required. No walk-ins available. To register, call 949-7980.

Tuesdays, June 26 through Aug. 28: Tai Chi — 8:15 to 9:30 a.m.Tai chi, considered “meditation in motion,” emphasizes complete relaxation. It will be taught over 10 weeks in the International Rosarium at Descanso Gardens.

Instructor Laura Gloster studied martial arts for 20 years, expanding her studies into the internal art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan before beginning teaching. Students should wear exercise clothes and shoes. Single sessions are not available.

Fees: $130 ($110 for members). Reservations are required. No walk-ins available. To register, call 949-7980.

Tuesdays, June 26 to July 24: Family Fun for Nature Nuts — 5:30 p.m.

Families can spend five Tuesday evenings picnicking and meeting with fabulous creatures of the natural world during this summer’s Family Fun for Nature Nuts series.

In the first hands-on program on June 26, The Reptile Family will introduce and teach about many gentle creatures of the slippery, sliding, cold-blooded variety. The Reptile Family has appeared at the Natural History Museum, at Descanso Gardens and on nationally televised programs such as “Home and Family,” “Kid’s View,” and “Bill Cosby’s Kids Say the Darndest Things.”

Family Fun for Nature Nuts events begin at 5:30 p.m. with a bring-your-own picnicking at the Café Court and a program at 6:30 p.m. at the Under the Oaks Theater. Future Family Fun for Nature Nuts programs will be presented by the Animal Guys, July 3; Wildlife on Wheels, July 10; Avian Entertainment, July 17, and Razzle Bam Boom, July 24.

Per-person fee for the series is $45 ($35 members). Per-person fees for single events are $12, ($10 members). Children under 2 are admitted free. Seating is first come, first served at the time of each event. To register, call 949-7980.

Thursday, June 28: Exotic Palms Class — 7 to 9 p.m.

Palms, those exotic trees with long trunks and feathery leaves, grow in warm sunny areas and are prominent in Southern California’s climate. Prof. Dave Lannom of Mt. San Antonio College will present a slide-illustrated lecture about the many types of palms, how to care for them and how to use them in home landscaping. A reception will precede the lecture.

Lannom has taught horticulture courses at Mt. San Antonio College for more than 20 years.

Fees: $20 ($18 members). Reservations recommended. To register, call 949-7980.

Thursday, June 28: Wine Tasting: Patio Favorites — 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Patina’s popular summer wine tasting series at Descanso Gardens offers a selection of ‘Patio Favorite’ wines and hors d’oeuvres served on the terrace of the newly-renovated Boddy House. Wine lovers are encouraged to make reservations early.

Fees: $52 ($45 members). To make reservations call Patina at 790-3663.

Saturday, June 30: “Greening” Your Home — 10 a.m. to noon.A stream of water flowing from a faucet into a sink should be no wider than a pencil. This is the optimal amount of water for most uses and can save countless gallons of water. In this class instructor Ferris Kawar will offer tips like this while exploring simple, inexpensive tricks and products anyone can use to help the environment and lower energy and water bills.

Kawar teaches sustainable living workshops for residents in Santa Monica. He recently published “Greenopia: the Urban Dweller’s Guide to Green Living,” a directory of green businesses in Los Angeles, and a handbook for living a green lifestyle in an urban environment.

Fees: $20 ($15 members). Reservations recommended. Walk-in space is not always available. To register, call 949-7980.

Saturday, June 30: Beautiful Blooms: Carpinteria Tour — 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Displays of 18,000 roses will be found at the first stop on this Descanso Gardens-sponsored tour of the 15-acre Rose Story Farm. A one-hour guided walking tour through the rose farm will be followed by a picnic lunch, complete with all the trimmings including a rose tea. The next stop will be at Seaside Gardens, a retail nursery set up as a display garden and featuring many different areas designed in themes, including cottage style, succulents and Mediterranean gardens.

Cut roses, gifts, plants and gardening items will be available for purchase. Admission to all locations, lunch and transportation are included in the fee. Participants should wear walking shoes. Participants should arrive at Descanso Gardens by 7:45 a.m. The tour will leave, without delay, at 8 a.m.

Fees: $95 ($90 members). Please register early. Reservations required. Walk-in space is not available. To register, call 949-7980.

Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, near the interchange of the #2 and #210 freeways. The Gardens are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parking is free. Admission fees are $7 for adults; $5 for seniors and students; $2 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 5 and younger. For information, call 949-4200 or visit www.DescansoGardens.org.