Welcome to the Southern California Horticultural Society

PLANT LOVERS SHARINg KNOWLEDGE

On the second Thursday of each month, we invite speakers to present a talk or program about their area of expertise. We offer in-person meetings as well as live-streaming on Zoom (with registration).

Meetings may also include Plant Sales, a Raffle and expert discussion of plants brought in to the Plant Forum. Do you have an interesting plant to share? If you can't bring one in person, send in a photo and requested information on our Plant Forum Page.

For more information about the Society, please see our About SCHS page.

UPCOMING MEETING:

Thursday,  December 12th

from 7:00pm to 9:30pm

IN PERSON at Friendship Auditorium

Annual Holiday Party

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"Capturing Nature's Beauty:
Smartphone Tips

for Plant Lovers"

with Marie Astrid Gonzalez

Photos supplied by speaker.                                                                  

Our Annual Holiday Party is open to anyone who wishes to join us! (all though we do request a $5 entry fee for non-members). Enjoy some social time with your fellow plant enthusiasts. We will be holding a potluck with sweet and savory dishes and we encourage guests to bring something to share. We will also have the ever-popular "Freebie Table" - if you have any garden-themed items that are just not "sparking joy" for you, please bring them to give away.

One of our newest board members, Marie Astrid Gonzalez, will also give a short presentation on garden photography. Marie is an art director and photographer based in Los Angeles, with over 25 years of experience in creating marketing campaigns across diverse industries, including advertising agencies, media companies, and the environmental sector. In her presentation, she will share essential tips for smartphone photography, focusing on how to maximize your phone’s camera settings and use creative techniques to turn simple plant snapshots into beautiful portraits.

Marie holds a BFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her work has graced the cover of the L.A. Times and is part of the permanent collection at the Wende Museum. Her passion for horticulture began during her formative years visiting her grandparents’ farm in Puerto Rico, where she developed a deep appreciation for sustainable living and resourcefulness. This early connection to the natural world fuels her interest in capturing moments we often miss, and the personal connections between plants and their humans.

Currently, Marie freelances for a diverse range of clients, bringing her expertise in creative direction and marketing to projects spanning from environmental conservation to commercial enterprises. Most recently, she served as the Creative Director at Theodore Payne Foundation, where she led the creative development of the nonprofit consumer-facing initiatives, educational resources, and signature events, such as the Native Plant Garden Tour.

We are looking forward to seeing examples of Marie's beautiful work and learning how we can make the most of our own garden photography. Please join us for the evening to experience this special presentation in person.

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Upcoming Events:

Thursday, December 12, 2024
IN PERSON at Friendship Auditorium 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles
Marie Astrid Gonzalez on "Capturing Nature's Beauty: Smartphone Tips for Plant Lovers"
Plus SCHS's Annual Holiday Potluck Party
Everyone is welcome! Free for SCHS Members, $5 entry fee requested for non-members.

Thursday, January 9, 2025
ONLINE ZOOM - free, but you must register ahead of time. Registration details will be available here soon.
Authors Susan Chamberlin and Christine O'Hara will speak about their new book, California Eden.

Thursday, February 13, 2025
IN PERSON at Friendship Auditorium 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles
Allison Keeney, Asst. Director of the Mildred E. Matthias Botanical Garden at UCLA will speak about the garden's recently completed stream renovation.
Everyone is welcome! Free for SCHS Members, $5 entry fee requested for non-members.

Visit our Past Meetings page to re-watch previously recorded in-person meetings and webinars, download each meeting write-up, and reference any materials provided by our speakers.

SCHS SUPPORTS VICTIMS OF THE MOUNTAIN FIRE

Dear members and friends of the Southern California Horticultural Society,

Californians have suffered through yet another disaster with the Mountain Fire in Ventura County. This one hit close to home for SCHS, as the fire destroyed most of the nursery and ranch owned by our Board member and past President, John Schoustra. 

Anyone who has met John knows that he is a kind and generous person. I personally know that he has helped out others in times of need. It is heartbreaking to see so much of his hard work reduced to ashes.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCSrm39pW2O/?igsh=MTBlZjE4YzMxOA==

SCHS has donated funds to other nurseries that have suffered fire damage, and we intend to support John as well. John's friends at Apricot Lane Farms have put together a GoFundMe account to help John get back on his feet.

https://gofund.me/f1e12c5a

Thankfully, no lives were lost in the Mountain Fire, but over 200 homes burned. Please consider giving to the Ventura County Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund to help our neighbors rebuild their lives. 100% of donations will go to directly support individuals and non-profit organizations providing assistance. 

https://vccf.org/

If you are uncomfortable making donations online, you can send a check to SCHS and we will get your donation to John or VCCF as soon as possible. Please do not send mail to John - his mailbox is not secure. You can mail checks to:

Southern California Horticultural Society
PO Box 94476
Pasadena, CA  91109-4476

Please do not send cash, and please do not write "donation" on the envelope. Thank you for your generosity!!

- Laura Bauer, President
Southern California Horticultural Society

• Our Hort Happenings page lists events at local horticultural institutions. 
• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Tag @socalhort in your photos to be featured on our page!
• Want to re-watch a previous meeting, plant forum, or event? Visit our YouTube Channel for all available recordings!
• Join our mailing list to be updated with important news about SCHS via email. Your email address will not be shared with anyone, and you may unsubscribe at any time.