Exploration Talk - Before They Were Trendy: The Gardens at Long Beach Ranchos

This talk explores how Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos became early adopters of California native plants - shaped by designers like Ralph D. Cornell and plant pioneers like Theodore Payne and Allen Chickering.

Drawing from each site’s living collections, Rancho Los Alamitos' Deputy Director, Andrew Chaves, and Rancho Los Cerritos' Horticulture Manager, Amanda Chaves, will highlight the native plants that have proven resilient over time and continue to thrive in Southern California’s climate. Discover how these historic gardens quietly anticipated today’s conversations around drought, sustainability, and ecological design and what they can teach us about planting landscapes that will endure for the next 100 years.

Doors will open at 5:30 pm, and the lecture will start at 6 pm. We hope you join us.