PAM KRAGEN

Staff Writer

Orchid show and sale: The Palomar Orchid Society will have its annual auction Saturday at the Carlsbad Woman's Club, 3320 Monroe St., Carlsbad. The public can preview the orchids at 11 a.m.; bidding will begin at noon. The auction is the society's main fundraiser and will feature about 200 orchids from around the world. John Kidwell, society member, is auctioneer for this year's event. Expect to see orchids from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Ecuador and Hawaii. Hybrid orchids as well as species will be available. Society members will answer questions about orchid culture and cultivation. The Palomar Orchid Society meets from 6:30-9 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at the Carlsbad Woman's Club. Call (760) 929-0367.

Summer Home Design & Remodeling Show: One of the county's largest annual home shows, featuring hundreds of home decor products, exhibits by designers, landscapers and home service providers, and more, runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 15-16 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17; San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Drive, San Diego; free; www.showsusa.com.

Benefit furniture sale: Model home furnishings, donated by homebuilders in the Building Industry Association, will be sold to benefit charity at a "Fantasy Furniture Sale" from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 23 at 3554 Ruffin Road, San Diego. Items include home and office furniture, accessories and construction and remodeling supplies. Proceeds benefit BIA Cares. Cash or credit only; all sales are final. Call (858) 794-6130.

Tomato tasting: El Plantio Nursery in the San Pasqual Valley will host a "Tomato Talk and Tasting" From noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 30. The nursery will offer samples of locally grown tomatoes from noon to 1 p.m. followed by a two-hour free seminar led by Steve Goto on growing cool-season tomatoes in the San Diego region. For details, visit elplantionursery.com. El Plantio is at 1322 San Pasqual Valley Road.

Gardeners needed: Volunteers are needed to help care for the Lake Hodges Native Plant Club's Botanical Garden near Escondido. Work takes place Wednesdays and/or Saturday mornings, followed by a brown-bag lunch and group discussion of gardening issues. Information: (858) 592-9782; lhnpc.org.

Escondido landscaper honored: Summit Services Inc. won six awards at the 2008 California Landscape Contractors Association Beautification Awards Ceremony in San Diego last month. Summit Services won first place in four categories: Large California Friendly Land Construction, Medium Landscape Renovation, Small Design Build Construction and Small Residential Maintenance, and two second place awards: Estate Design Build Construction and Large Design Build Construction.

Plumeria show, sale: The Southern California Plumeria Society's annual flower show and plant sale will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 6 and 7 at the Casa del Prado Room 101, Balboa Park in San Diego. Call (619) 461-5942.

Ecopalooza returns: Zagrodnik + Thomas Architects in San Diego's North Park hosts its third annual Ecopalooza: Green Scene, a showcase of San Diego green architects, builders and artists from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at 3956 30th St. in San Diego. Call (619) 528-1199.

Meetings

Southern California Plumeria Society: Plumeria expert Bud Guillot will discuss "Late Summer Plumeria Trimming and Shaping to Enhance Next Year's Blooms" at the monthly meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the War Memorial Building, 3325 Zoo Drive in San Diego. Free admission. Call (619) 461-5942.

San Diego Epiphyllum Society: Tom Moore, an epiphyllum grower from Puerto Rico, is the featured speaker at the monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 101 of Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. Call (760) 749-5695.

San Diego Horticultural Society: The group meets at Surfside Race Place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Del Mar. Meetings are free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Free parking is available. Go to sdhortsoc.org. Upcoming meetings:

- 6 p.m. Monday: "The Secret Life of Cool-Season Crops" with horticulturist, author and TV personality Pat Welsh.

- 6 p.m. Sept. 8: "What's New and Unique From Seed?" with horticulturist and author Renee Shepherd, owner of Renee's Garden.

- 6 p.m. Oct. 13: "Bamboo, The Earth and Us" with bamboo expert Bob Dimattia.

Scripps-Mesa Garden Club: Meetings are at 5:45 p.m. the Scripps Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego. Call (858) 538-5946. Upcoming:

- Aug. 25: Summer barbecue (location TBA)

- Sept. 22: Fire Department

- Oct. 27: Annual business/planning

- Nov. 24: Holiday wreaths

Classes

Quail Botanical Gardens lecture series: The Encinitas gardens hosts a series of lectures by local gardening experts, authors and nursery workers. Quail is at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Register to (760) 436-3036, Ext. 206, unless otherwise noted:

- Gourd Art: Fiber artist Carol Lang will teach participants to choose, clean and cut their gourds, then they can dye, paint, pyroengrave or embellish them in this class from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 15. Cost is $50 for members, $60 for nonmembers, plus a $15 materials fee.

- Flower Photography Workshop: Flower photographer Bob Bretell will teach techniques in using natural light, movement, depth of field and exposure from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 16. Bring a digital camera with a close-up lens, a tripod if you have one and a bag lunch. Cost is $65 for members, $75 for nonmembers.

- Docent training classes: Volunteers interested in becoming docents can take this six-class series of three-hour classes. You must attend all six classes to complete the training. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 20, the class will be Succulents and Desert Gardens.

- Succulent Wreath Class: The Quail Botanical Gardens wreath team will teach participants to make their own wreaths out of succulents in this class from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 2. Bring clippers, water and a snack. Cost is $55 for members, $65 for nonmembers.

- Saving Water and Money for Your HOA: Homeowner Association property managers, board members, landscape contractors, architects, designers and other professionals can attend this workshop with a panel discussion to learn to cut water use from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 5. Free.

- Volunteer Orientation: If you are interesting in becoming a volunteer, take this course from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept 6.

- Floral Design: David Root will demonstrate floral design with unusual plant material and containers in this class from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 28. Bring a floral knife, clippers, wire cutters and scissors. Cost is $55 for members, $60 for nonmembers.

- Children's Art Workshop -- Van Gogh's Sunflowers: Children ages 8 to 12 are invited to explore the world of sunflowers in this class from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 21. They can learn the botany, chew on chocolate-covered sunflower seeds and paint a picture of sunflowers. Bring a smock. Cost is $20 per child for members, $25 for nonmembers.

Walter Andersen Nursery: The nursery at 12755 Danielson Court in Poway announces its summer home and garden class schedule. All lectures are free and begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays. Call (858) 513-4900.

Saturday: Carnivorous plants

Aug. 16: Heat-loving plants

Aug. 23: Low-water-use plants

Aug. 30: Fall/winter vegetables

Sept. 6: Fall grasses

Sept. 13: Staghorn ferns, remounting and care

Sept. 20: Fall bulbs

Sept. 27: Fall rose care

Rose-growing workshops: The California Coastal Rose Society hosts free Saturday morning "Gloves On Learning" workshops on rose-growing at 9 a.m. Aug. 23 in the Magee Rose Garden in Magee Park, 200 Beech St., Carlsbad. Topics covered include deadheading, feeding, watching for pests and disease and more. Register to (760) 630-9508.

Rare-fruit growing classes: The San Diego chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers Inc. hosts this series of free classes on growing unusual and rare fruit in San Diego County, including jujube, capulin cherry, raisin tree, pitahaya, longan, jaboticaba, tropical guava, passionfruit, wax jambu and more. Classes will be at 6 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month in Room 104, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego. Reserve to (619) 261-3610:

Aug. 27: Maintaining your rare fruit trees.

Sept. 24: How to naturally protect your rare fruit trees from pests

Oct. 22: What to do with rare fruits, an introduction to eating, cooking and simply enjoying your rare fruits.

Nov. 19: How to propagate rare fruit trees.

UCR Extension Agriculture & Landscape Classes: The UC Riverside Extension program will offer these workshops on summer planting. All will be held at UCR Extension, 1200 University Ave., Riverside. Fees are $59. Call (951) 827-4105.

- Growing Plumerias, the Flowers of Love; 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 22 and 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 23.

Send Home & Garden items to Features Editor Pam Kragen, North County Times, 207 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, fax to (760) 745-3769 or e-mail to home@nctimes.com.