Water Conservation Garden

08/31/2026

08/29/2026

Make sure to mark your calendars for this wonderful plant sale! it supports the wonderful Master Gardeners and all they do for the community! 

🪴Save the date! Our Fall Plant Sale will be on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 9 am to 3 pm at Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado.

Shop fantastic bargains on a variety of plants, refurbished garden tools, fresh local produce, delightful birdhouses, and imaginative garden art. Participate in our free demonstrations and presentations and bring a working pruner or lopper, as our Tool Care Committee will clean, sanitize, and sharpen for free!

🌿Visit www.MasterGardenerSD.org for more info
🔗 link in bio

08/28/2026

🌿 Staff Appreciation Spotlight: Sarah Uran🌿

Today we’re celebrating our fantastic Guest Experience Coordinator, Sarah! 💚

Sarah truly wears so many hats here at The Garden. From supporting our Creative Crafters and Succulent Team to helping with sales, admissions, Gift Shop, and membership, she brings her dedication, positivity, and incredible work ethic to everything she does.

She is a hardworking and dedicated team member, a fantastic leader, and someone who is always willing to step in wherever she’s needed.

We’re so grateful for everything Sarah brings to The Garden and for the care, energy, and heart she puts into her work every day. 🌱✨

Thank you, Sarah, for being such an important part of our Garden family! 💚

08/28/2026

Last Chance!

TODAY is your LAST DAY to grab discounted tickets to see San Diego FC take on LA Galaxy! ⚽️

🎟️ Get your tickets before the sale ends! A portion of every ticket purchased goes back to support The Water Conservation Garden.

Don’t miss the match and help support the Garden while you’re at it!

08/26/2026

Today we are taking a moment to remember the loving, talented, beautiful and generous spirit of Dolly Parton in our butterfly pavilion.

Dolly was a champion for wildlife and one of her many causes was supporting monarch butterfly conservation.

“When I was little I would wander off, chasing butterflies into the woods, so they had to come find me,” Parton said. “I always related to them because I felt like they meant well, they were harmless, and they were colorful—kinda like I think that I am. And then I just used them as a symbol. They’re just meant to be mine, I think.”

Butterflies have been present throughout her entire life and businesses. The “W” in Dollywood is a butterfly, one of her earliest hit songs was titled Love Is Like a Butterfly, her brand has a butterfly, and she even has a butterfly tattoo.

Thank you Dolly! The world is better because you 🦋

08/26/2026

The Game is coming up! Grab your tickets because it is going to be an EPIC game! $5 from every ticket is donated to The Garden!

Join us on August 29th as we head out together to cheer on San Diego FC vs LA Galaxy for an exciting night of professional soccer!This special match also…

08/21/2026

🌍✨ Peritoma arborea - Bladderpod 🌳💛

Bladderpod is a hardy, drought-adapted native shrub of Southern California known for its bright yellow flowers and distinctive inflated seed pods. It thrives in dry coastal and desert environments, providing year-round visual interest and vital habitat for wildlife.
✨Plant Profile:
Common Name: Bladderpod
Family Name: Cleomaceae (Caper family)
Botanical Name: Peritoma arborea
Geographic Origin: Southern California & Baja California
Ecozone Origin: Coastal sage scrub & desert margins
Plant type: Evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub

✨Growth & Appearance:
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Width: 4 to 6 feet
Form/Habit: Loose, rounded, somewhat open shrub with a natural, informal shape
Bark & Stems: Green to gray-green stems, becoming woody with age
Leaves: Small, gray-green, trifoliate leaves with a slightly waxy texture
Flowers: Bright yellow, four-petaled flowers with long protruding stamens; bloom nearly year-round, peak in spring
Fruit: Inflated, bladder-like seed pods that turn from green to reddish-brown

✨Adaptations:
Soil: Well-draining soils; tolerates sandy, rocky, and poor soils
Water Needs: Very low; drought-tolerant once established
Sunlight: Full sun
Heat & Salt Tolerance: Excellent heat tolerance; good tolerance to coastal conditions and light salt spray
Hardiness: 0-10 degrees
✨Uses:
Landscape/Function: Great for native gardens, slopes, erosion control, and wildlife habitats; adds color and texture
Ethnobotany: Seeds and flowers were traditionally used by Indigenous peoples for food and medicinal purposes (with preparation)
Propagation:.Grown from seed; may require scarification or soaking for improved germination
📸: Come spot a Bladderpod at The Garden and tag us!

08/20/2026

Join The Garden and Sweetwater Authority this Saturday for a tour and to learn more about where your water comes from and the work Sweetwater Authority does to protect and secure affordable water for customers.

All ages welcome! 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Activities include:
💧 Facility tours, including a visit to the historic Sweetwater Dam
💧 Information about drinking water quality
💧 An overview of water supplies and water system infrastructure
🏆 Raffle and prizes
🍎 Free lunch will be provided for the first 200 attendees