Plant lovers: We found the 12 best events for you this summer, so you don’t have to

Summertime, and the plant shows are flooooowing …

OK, so I’m a little giddy about the real-time plant events finally popping up around Southern California. But wow, isn’t it great to be among other plant lovers this summer? There’s even a class in styling your garden to become habitat for desert tortoises.

Send your real-time garden events to me, [email protected], and we may include them in our next calendar.

Through Sept. 6
Summer Evening Strolls at the Huntington Library, Art Museum & Botanical Gardens, Fridays through Sundays through Labor Day, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Advance reservations required for members and the public; tickets are released every other Tuesday for the coming two weeks. The 1919 Cafe will be open until 7 p.m. and the store will stay open until 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 ($15 active military, students with ID and seniors 65+, $5 for children 4-11, free for children under 4). huntington.org

Through Sept. 12
Sherman Library & Gardens greenHOUSE is the gardens’ summer exhibit of “living” rooms with a botanical twist, such as the the Bedroom, with its “flower bed,” and the Formal Dining Room, with garden tool cutlery and terra-cotta “plates.” The seven rooms are scattered throughout the gardens, which are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and until 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays through Sept. 3. The exhibit is free with $5 admission to the gardens (Members and children 3 and under enter free). thesherman.org

Through Sept. 21
Nature of Sculpture II Exhibition at the Arboretum features dozens of sculptures that highlight the interaction of art and nature throughout the gardens, which are open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 301 N. Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia. The exhibit is free with $15 admission ($11 seniors 62+ and students with ID, $5 children ages 5-12, members and children under 5 enter free). Reservations required for non-members. arboretum.org

July 7
Guided tour of the Los Virgenes Municipal Water District Demonstration Garden designed by Marilee Kuhlmann and Tom Rau of the Urban Water Group landscape designers, starting at 3:30 p.m. at 4232 Las Virgenes Road, #1994, in Calabasas. Register online for this event, which is sponsored by the Assn. of Professional Landscape Designers of Greater Los Angeles. Tickets are $15 (free to APLD members). apldca.org

July 10
Hot weather watering and plant protection is a workshop taught by Conor Fitzpatrick, owner of Fig Earth Supply nursery, 3577 N. Figueroa St. in Mount Washington. The class starts at 11 a.m. at the nursery and will include tips for keeping plants happy this summer. Advance registration required, tickets are $8. figearthsupply.com

July 16
Native Plant Maintenance Basics with native plant enthusiast Erik Blank from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation gardens, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Learn how to maintain native plants in the summer, when many go into dormancy. Participants should wear long pants and closed-toe shoes for walking on sometimes steep and uneven terrain; full water bottles and sun protection recommended. Masks are mandatory at the nursery. Register online. Tickets are $15 ($12 for members). theodorepayne.org

July 16, 23 and 30
Live Music in the Gardens at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. during three Fridays in July at Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive in La Cañada Flintridge. The Paul Livingstone Ensemble performs July 16, Yuval Ron Music on July 23 and SAKURA Cellos on July 30. Free with $15 admission to the gardens ($11 seniors and students with ID and $5 children 5 to 12. Members and children under 5 enter free). Chairs, blankets, outside food and picnics are not permitted. descansogardens.org

July 17
Gardening With California Desert Tortoises is an hour-long class starting at 10 a.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. The class, taught by Katherine Pakradouni, a “lifelong desert tortoise caretaker” and native plant horticulturist, will be held outdoors with live tortoises, and includes information about native and non-native forage sources, the importance of water and ways to mimic the tortoise’s natural conditions and seasonal rhythms. Register online. Tickets are $25 ($20 for members). theodorepayne.org

July 17-18
The annual Plant-o-rama Plant Sale at Sherman Library & Gardens features a wide range of exotic, rare or just plain weird specialty plants for admiration and purchase from the garden’s nursery and four different plant organizations: Los Angeles International Fern Society, Saddleback Bromeliad Society, SoCal Hibiscus Society and the Newport Harbor Orchid Society from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at 2647 East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. Admission to the sale is free with your $5 admission to the garden. Members and children 3 and under enter free. thesherman.org

Summer Music Strolls at Descanso Gardens offers live classical music in different parts of the garden between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at 1418 Descanso Drive in La Cañada Flintridge. Performers include the AKURA Cellos, Paul Livingstone Ensemble: Arohi, and the Yuval Ron Ensemble featuring Manuel Gutierrez. Reservations are required; tickets are $25 ($20 for members). Chairs, blankets, outside food and picnics are not permitted. descansogardens.org

July 21
California Native Container Plants is a class offered by Flora Ito, sales manager of the Theodore Payne Foundation nursery, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. at the foundation nursery, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. The class offers tips on the best native plants for containers and for creating habitat for pollinators like butterflies and bees as well as a guided walk through the nursery. Masks are mandatory on the nursery grounds, and participants are encouraged to wear long pants and closed-toe shoes for walking on uneven surfaces. Full water bottles and sun protection are also recommended. Tickets are $25 ($20 for members). Register online. theodorepayne.org

July 22
Behind-the-scenes tour at the Theodore Payne Foundation nursery includes guided visits to the plant propagation and seed conservation facilities not usually open to the public from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Masks are mandatory on the nursery grounds and participants are asked towear long pants and closed-toe shoes for walking on steep, uneven and sometimes wet surfaces. Full water bottles and sun protection are also recommended. Register online. Tickets are $10 (free to members). theodorepayne.org