Blog

2022 is underway, and we’re gearing up for a fantastic year of native plants, Indigenous ecology, and community building here at Theodore Payne Foundation. We’re seeing some glimmers of hope that the need to stay distanced may subside this year and allow us to get...

It’s the first week of November, and we’ve already had our first big rain. Nights are cold and days are warm. As I write this morning I can see the dew dripping from the buckwheat outside my office. By midafternoon it will have long since have evaporated in the warm...

Being a professional horticulturist is fun. I can say that from experience, having held quite a number of different plant related jobs over the years. Visiting a new garden or new habitat, stumbling upon a rare and unexpected bloom, or the satisfaction that comes with...

My past few blog articles have focused on big picture ideas that I hope will lead us to a sustainable future. Today I want to hone in on a specific project that I believe is an important step in guiding us towards those changes, our California Native Plant Landscaper...

In recent weeks, metamorphosis has been on my mind. Just outside my office, a stand of narrow leaf milkweed is currently hosting all phases of Monarch butterflies: the striped caterpillars slowly moving and quickly growing, the bright orange adult butterflies dancing...

As much as I try to remain optimistic about the state of things, there’s no denying the fact that we are facing serious environmental problems. In addition to the climate crisis, we are living through a punctuated and rapid loss of biodiversity that biologists refer...

2020 is over, and what a crazy year it was. When I look back to the beginning of the year, and my first days at Theodore Payne Foundation, it’s remarkable how different the world was then. I had never heard of Zoom, worn a face mask, or thought about how many feet...

Dear TPF community, I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. If there is a silver lining to the challenges and stress we’ve all faced during 2020, it is that it has given us a chance to reflect on our priorities. Theodore Payne Foundation’s...

If you've been following TPF on social media, you may know that one of our major outreach efforts this year has been in telling the nuanced story of wildfire in Southern California. Our goal with this work is to share clear information to the general public that...

Theodore Payne Foundation 2020 Fall Plant Sale November 5-7, 10-14, 17-21 8:30AM-4PM Sign up for a timed shopping slot Just in time for fall planting, Theodore Payne Foundation is offering its widest assortment of the year, including native plants, seeds, and bulbs,...