2026 May 23 California In My Garden Art Series – Container Gardening for Butterflies at ENC
The class is led by Patty Roess, an avid gardener with decades of experience working with California native plants. Patty spent 22 years as the retail manager at Tree of Life Nursery, where she advised thousands of customers and taught many popular classes on plant care and container gardening with native plants. She is an active member of OC CNPS and continues to enjoy sharing practical, accessible native plant knowledge with the community.
Participants will learn how to select native plants that support butterflies throughout their life cycle, along with the fundamentals of successful container gardening, including soil composition, drainage, plant combinations, and long-term care. During the workshop, you’ll build your own butterfly-supporting container using provided soil, rocks, and natural decorative elements.
This class emphasizes realistic, achievable gardening practices and demonstrates how even small spaces can meaningfully contribute to local ecosystems.
What’s included:
• Instruction and hands-on guidance from Patty Roess
• Soil, rocks, and natural decorative materials
• Access to a curated selection of butterfly-friendly California native plants for purchase through ENC
What to bring:
• One container (approximately 5-gallon size recommended)
• Native plants purchased on-site or brought from home
Whether you’re new to native plants or looking to expand your container gardening skills, this workshop offers practical knowledge, ecological insight, and inspiration for creating habitat at home—one container at a time.