Speakers Bureau
The TPF Speakers Bureau provides informative illustrated presentations by knowledgeable staff members to neighborhood groups, garden clubs, educational institutions, and public agencies throughout the region.
Programs are one hour in length (including questions) with resource lists and educational materials. To offset expenses, we request a $200 honorarium for venues within a 30-mile radius of the Foundation, $250 for other LA County locations. Please inquire for talks outside of LA County.
Contact: info at theodorepayne.org or (818) 768-1802
We offer the following presentations:
The Basics of Native Plant Horticulture – The essentials on gardening with California flora: why natives are valuable, about plant communities, plus planting techniques, establishment, irrigation, pruning and ongoing maintenance.
Four Seasons of Color with California Natives – Your native plant garden can be a seasonal showcase of flowers, seed, fruit, and foliage. This class illustrates a wealth of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and grasses that can ensure color all year long.
Gardening for Wildlife – You and your garden can be part of local ecosystem health. This talk reveals native plants that provide essential leaf, nectar, seed, nut, and berry foods for Southern California bird, bee, and butterfly species, among other welcome wildlife. Plant natives and they will come!
Growing Natives in Containers – A vast array of California native plants will grow happily in containers, and potted natives add texture and color to the garden, as well as habitat for birds, butterflies, and native bees. This colorfully illustrated lecture – for gardeners with large or limited spaces – offers tips on successful container gardening and dozens of different plant choices for pots.
Native Plants and Hummingbirds – Learn how to attract and support hummingbirds, including which native plants these tiny and beautiful creatures favor and how to keep the birds healthy and happy all year.
Look, Ma, No Lawn! – Are you ready to lose the lawn? We’ll explain how to take it out and offer alternatives for the space: specifically low-care native plants that need no fertilizer and use a fraction of the water required for turf.
Perfect Partners: Gardening with Natives and All Sorts of Edibles – Gardening with natives and growing our own food are two wonderful activities that help us connect with nature and use our land in a positive ways. This class discusses how best to combine natives and edibles in the home garden, why this partnership is so rewarding for both the gardener/chef and wildlife, and which plants make the best companions.
The Power of Plants: Growing a Sustainable Future – This lecture illustrates the beauty and ecological benefits of California’s native wild flowers and plants. Discover the diversity of California’s native flora and how its use in urban landscapes reduces pesticides, conserves water, and transforms sterile spaces into thriving habitats that support birds, butterflies, pollinators, and the well-being of all our communities.