SacValley CNPS Nursery & Gardens

SacValley CNPS Nursery* has been responsibly growing local native plants since 2007.

The nursery is located at 2140 Chase Drive in Rancho Cordova (on the American River Parkway at Soil Born Farms) and is operated entirely by volunteers. CNPS membership is not required to volunteer. Nursery and Gardens Volunteer Basics (Site MAP Nursery and Gardens)

Last year we collaborated with State CNPS to hold a series of Propagation classes. State CNPS posted videos of the classes and many more Propagation Resources HERE on Google Drive.

Nursery Volunteer Orientation – Monday, Sept 11th at 10:00 am.  Demonstration Garden tours –Monday, Sept 11th at 10:30.  Sign up with Chris: cnpschris@gmail.com

Demonstration Gardens: Robins Front Yard, Willows for Wildlife Oasis, Traditional Resources, Low Water Hand Water, Under Oaks, HOA Friendly, Butterfly Waystation; Slideshow SacValley CNPS Demo Gardens OCT 2022

The mission of SacValley CNPS Nursery (formerly Elderberry Farms*) is to promote awareness of the benefits of native plant habitat, encourage community involvement, and provide a source of local native plants for gardening and restoration projects.  We are NOT open for SALES except to regular volunteers. Workdays are Mondays & Wednesdays, and our summer work hours are 10:00-noon. To keep everyone safe: If you are unvaccinated, we ask that you also wear a mask and maintain a 6-foot distance.

SacValley CNPS Nursery and Gardens a very short history revised Sept 2022   

The Nursery uses best management practices to maintain the health of its nursery plants, including providing protection from Phytophthora.

The Nursery is currently in production mode and plants are not available for purchase. However, if you would like to become acquainted with the plants we grow, you are welcome to drop by on one of our Mini Workdays. 

Plants We Grow Slideshow  For other volunteering opportunities at SacValley CNPS Nursery and Gardens, please email the Nursery Directors ~ Christina Lewis and Susan Fregien 

The Sacramento Valley Chapter’s monthly e-newsletter contains chapter announcements and upcoming events, and each issue is posted on the Newsletter page and emailed to all newsletter subscribers. You do not need to be a member to receive our eNewsletter. Sign up here.

GARDENING GUIDE for SacValley CNPS  *We changed our name from Elderberry Farms Native Plant Nursery to SacValley CNPS Nursery and Gardens. Why? To clarify that we 1) Only grow native plants, 2) We are not a project of Soil Born. 3) We’re affiliated with CNPS, and 4. Our Demonstration Gardens are a prominent feature of our work.

Saturday mornings- contact Eleni to sign up for a tending session in our Demo Gardens.

Key Activities

Mini Workdays

Mini Workdays make a big impact in just a few hours. Our Mini Workdays continue on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon. On Wednesdays at noon, we all gather to discuss nursery project updates while dining on PBJ's though volunteers are welcome to bring their own lunch or snacks. If you would like to join us, please stop by! No sign-up is needed. Please note: Soil Born Farms' long-awaited construction on an entrance road and parking is completed. Please park there and walk to the nursery .

Demonstration Gardens

SacValley CNPS Demonstration Gardens - gardens showcasing different approaches to native plants are being developed. They are: Butterfly Waystation; Traditional Resources; Willows for Wildlife; Hand water & Volunteer Plant Dry Area; Under Oaks; HOA friendly; Container Gardening; Robin’s Front Yard; Grass Comparisons; and Shade Garden. Our next hope is to capture and share information such as: the time it takes to maintain each garden, the amount of water the garden gets and the wildlife we have observe. Contact ELENI re Mini Tending sessions on Saturday mornings

Pot Reuse

We accept donations of used 1-gallon pots. We sterilize the pots and reuse them in our nursery and Home Growers for Social Justice program. Summer is the time to sterilize using the sun! If your group wants to host a Pot Washing Party, contact Chris at cnpschris@gmail.com

Nursery and Demonstration Gardens Tours

We offer community members guided tours of our nursery and demonstration gardens. The tours are approximately 1 hour and are limited to two to six people. These tours provide information about the importance of using native plants in landscapes to create habitat for animals, saving water, and increasing pollination. All participants need to sign a waiver. Please bring a hat, sunscreen, and water. Please note: Our nursery and garden tours are currently on hold while we work on a redesign of the gardens.

Nursery Maintenance

Sometimes we need the help of carpenters, electricians, fence builders, irrigation “magicians,” and other handy people. Prospective volunteers can contact us, and we will reach out when projects arise.

News & Upcoming Workdays

SacValley CNPS Nursery & Gardens

Get Nursery and Sacramento Valley Chapter news in our monthly eNewsletter.

Our Mini Workdays continue on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon. At noon, we all gather to discuss nursery project updates. Volunteers are welcome to bring their own lunch or snacks. If you would like to join us, please stop by! No sign-up is needed. Questions?  Email Chris at cnpschris@gmail.com.

Propagation Volunteers

The nursery leadership team is looking for volunteers who are interested in propagating local native plants. If you would like to learn more, please contact Chris at cnpschris@gmail.com.

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Gardening Resources

Location

2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95667

On the American River Parkway at Soil Born Farms

Directions below map

Driving Directions

From the intersection of Folsom Boulevard and Coloma Drive, go north on Coloma Drive. Turn left onto Chase Drive. Turn left into the driveway at 2140 Chase Drive (last driveway on the left before entering Hagan Park).  

Continue down the driveway to the designated parking area (please park here unless you are picking up or delivering materials at the nursery). From the parking area, walk past the farm stand, then past the duplex. The nursery is just beyond the duplex.

Biking Directions from the American River Parkway

Soil Born Farms is adjacent to the American River Parkway bike path between mile markers 15 and 15.5. Turn off the bike path into Hagan Park, and exit Hagan Park by the parking kiosk. Immediately turn right into the Soil Born Farms driveway. Then bike or walk to the nursery.

Bus Directions

The nearest bus line is 21. Get off the bus at Coloma Rd. & Dolecetto Dr. (EB). From the bus stop, walk to 2140 Chase Drive.

Map Of SacValley CNPS Nursery and Gardens
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