


Members’ Holiday Potluck
Event: Members’ Holiday Potluck
Date: Friday, December 15, 2023 • 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Location: Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento
Our holiday potluck will be a daytime event this year. More details to come.


October General Meeting
Event: October General Meeting
Speaker: Kevin Marini
Topic: Nurturing Healthy Soil
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023 • 7 p.m.
Location: Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento
In this day and age, the most important thing for home gardeners to grasp is what media (“soil” type) they are using to grow plants and how cultural practices in the garden relate to each type. Container mix, potting soil, soil conditioner, garden soil, raised bed mix, soilless mix, organic compost, and bulk soil are just some of the confusing names of materials that gardeners use.
More and more home gardeners are turning away from planting in their native soils and buying soil type products instead. Let’s discuss what soil really is, how to enhance it for what you’re growing and define the content and uses for all these other types of bagged and bulk products.


Fall Plant Sale
Event: Fall Plant Sale
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, October 8, 2023 • 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento
Mark your calendars and invite a friend to come along to our SPPC Fall Plant Sale!
Whether you are looking to add a special new plant in your garden, replace a failing plant, or just start over in an area of your garden, the plant sales come just in time for your new fall plantings—the best time of year to plant!


September General Meeting
Event: September General Meeting
Speaker: Patricia B. Smith
Topic: Islamic Gardens on Two Continents
Date: Thursday, September 28 • 7 p.m.
Location: Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento
The history of classic Islamic gardens is long, interesting and well documented. At our Sept. 28 meeting, Patricia B. Smith will explore their unique styles and origins in India, China and Spain. Pat is a writer (who was a reporter and editor at the Sacramento Bee for 22 years) and inveterate traveler.
She has been observing these ancient and seemingly impossible gardens for decades. She saw her first one inside the mosque complex in Xi’an, China, the terminus of the Silk Road.
Surprisingly, water is one of the main subtle and refined – and of course, necessary – element of Islamic gardens. Considering that their origins are in mostly arid regions of Asia and the Mideast, one appreciates all the more their refreshing and tranquil demeanor.
Think oasis, geometry and contemplation interacting in context with elaborate buildings. Islamic gardens contrast dramatically with typical European gardens. Pat will show us how.
