There are some wonderful gardens and beautiful landscaping in Bakersfield and surrounding areas, a place filled with people who enjoy making their homes and places of business look great year-round. Our Bakersfield landscaping and irrigation experts often work in the area, so we thought it would be fun to share some great resources and organizations that Bakersfield homeowners, business owners, and community leaders might find useful for everything from home gardening and landscaping projects to commercial landscaping, irrigation and maintenance.
Bakersfield Garden Club
If you’d like to meet and learn from other green thumbs in the area, the Bakersfield Garden Club is a great place to start. Their website also gives information for activities and membership in groups that focus on African Violets, Cactus, Rare Fruit, Roses, and California Native Plants.
Bakersfield Native Gardening Blog
If you want to learn more about plants native to California, and especially the region here around Bakersfield, be sure to check out the Bakersfield Native Gardening Blog. Written by M. Woodman, a professor at CSU Bakersfield, this is a site dedicated to fostering native landscaping throughout Bakersfield and helping others learn the benefits of using native landscaping – both for their gardens and their wallets. According to Professor Woodman, using native landscaping lowers water bills, eliminates the need for fertilizing, and reduces time and energy spent maintaining the landscape (or paying someone else to maintain it). Done right, it doesn’t have to look like a desert as most native landscaping seems to do, instead showcasing colorful blooms and aromatic foliage that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies that add to the enjoyment for home and business owners.
The blog also recommends local nurseries for Bakersfield residents interested in planting native flora including:
- Las Pilitas: Located near Atascadero. Open for retail on Fridays and Saturdays and take orders online. They have one of the largest selections of California native plants in the region. They also have a website that lets you search by zip code or select criteria to find the perfect plants for your site.
- Theodore Payne: Located in Sun Valley. Their plants are generally a little bigger than the plants at Las Pilitas, and they have an extensive indoor gift shop of art, seeds, and books related to native California plants. They also offer tours and classes to learn about specific aspects of native gardening.
Wind Wolves Preserve
A great place to see plants native to the Bakersfield area is at Wind Wolves Preserve. This is a fantastic preserve that showcases California native plants and animals as well as some historical Native American sites. Their visitor center also presents examples of landscapes featuring native plants.
Country Garden Radio
Another great resource for plant and landscape lovers in Bakersfield and the surrounding area is Country Garden Radio, Central California’s garden talk radio on KERN radio 1180. The hosts talk about everything from turf to trees, plants to ponds, okra to oleander, and anything else plant, garden and landscaping themed that listeners ask about. Country Garden Radio is hosted by Dale Edwards, The Sultan of Sod from Old River Sod, and Lindsay Ono, The Plant Professor from Bakersfield College. If you miss their live broadcasts, they also have a podcast that can be accessed any time.
Rainscape
Rainscape offers creative and dependable landscaping services for residential and commercial properties in Bakersfield and throughout Central California. Services include residential, commercial, and public works projects including landscaping, irrigation systems, drainage systems, hardscaping and synthetic grass. With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, and as people who live and work in the communities we serve, we understand the importance of how every landscaping project affects people’s daily lives. For a full list of services, check out our website, or give us a call at (559) 651-2333