Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society

Meetings & Programs

 

2026

• January: presentation by botanist Victor Garcia on the chaparral community of Vandenberg Space Force Base and local area.

• March: our new friend Travis Gill showcased his collection of carnivorous plants and our Society President, Christine Zuhlsdorf, demonstrated how to construct a stacked herb garden.

• April: we worked with the City of Lompoc Solid Waste & Urban Forestry Divisions for their Earth Day event: Compost & Mulch Giveaway--we hosted a table that gave away plants and the day was filled with wonderful conversations about gardening.​

• May: held our first garden party where members and a few friends toured a member's garden, enjoyed lunch, and socialized; guided tour of the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden (BMCG); hosted a spring tour of the BMCG for student rangers from the Manzanita Charter School.

• June: launched 1st Saturday Root & Route; community outreach through the Lompoc Library monthly display; annual tour of members' & friends of LVBHS gardens; defined BMCG parking lot with rock perimeter.

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2025

• January: presentation on the Wonderful World of Herbs by member Loretta Diaz. The program included information on the medicinal properties and the methods of preparing several different types of herbs (e.g. ointments, infusions and tinctures), a display of herbs and herbal materials, and a make-and-take activity (tussie-mussie).

• March: springtime planting advice; interactive discussion on seed starting; presentation on growing cacti on the Central Coast by member Vito Vitelli.

• May: introduction to and guided tour of Lompoc's botanic garden, aka the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden.

• June: annual tour of members' & friends of LVBHS gardens; participation in Lompoc's 72nd Annual Flower Festival Parade - placed FIRST in the Mini Float category!

• July: community outreach at Old Town Market in downtown Lompoc.

• September: "A Year in a Native Plant Nursery”, a presentation by Mackenzie Duncan of Manzanita Nursery, followed by a demonstration on how to build a self-watering moss pole.

• October: hosted an autumn tour of the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden for student rangers from the Manzanita Charter School; partnered with the City of Lompoc for Make a Difference Day distributing 21 cubic yards of mulch at the Drought Tolerant Garden.

• November: plant, seed & bulb exchange; relaunch of our club's plant sale; virtual fundraiser.

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2024

• January: our speaker Helga George, PhD in Plant Pathology, described the fascinating adaptations that plants have developed to protect themselves.

• March: Everything Green social get-together featuring a native plant bingo and a plant show & tell; participation in Lompoc's 2nd annual plant & seed exchange.

• May: tour of Windmill Nursery in Buellton.

• June: annual tour of private gardens; participation in the 71st Lompoc Valley Flower Festival Parade.

• September: presentation and guided tour of the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden (BMCG).

• November: annual plant, seed & bulb exchange.

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2023

• January: presentation on Santa Cruz Island's Flora and Ecology spanning the last 30 years. Our speaker Annie Meeder - a graduate student who has conducted statistical research of plants and animals on the island - informed us of progress in controlling certain invasive animals and plants.

• March: presentation on Composting with Worms. Our speaker, Angie Ouellette from Explore Ecology, brought a sample portable worm composting bin and explained how we could make it ourselves, what to put in it and what to feed the worms (see photo at left).

• May: presentation on Common Plant Diseases. Dr. Shashika Hewavitharana, an assistant professor in Plant Sciences and  a Strawberry Pathologist at Cal Poly in SLO, brought some of the common plant diseases we encounter in our gardens to life with animated slides.

• September: guided tour of the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden, located on the Lompoc Campus of Allan Hancock College.

• November: plant, bulb and seed exchange, courtesy of members and guests.

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Care Days for the Gardens

In general, we remove invasive plants and clear overgrowth from the paths. At the city's Drought Tolerant Garden (DTG), we also spread mulch to control weeds and to conserve moisture. We install new plant identification signs as needed.

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2026

February: worked at the Drought Tolerant Garden

April, May, June, July, August: worked at the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden

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2025

February & October: worked at the Drought Tolerant Garden

April & August: worked at the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden

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2024

February & August: worked at the Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden

April & October: worked at the Drought Tolerant Garden

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2023

February & May: worked at BMCG

March, April & October: worked at DTG

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To learn more about our programs and activities, go to our Newsletter section.