Cal Native Hort Nursery Manual
Sponsorship Opportunity
California Native Horticultural Foundation (CalNativeHort or CNHF) is producing a comprehensive manual for anyone desiring to build a nursery and grow native plants in southern California. Designed to meet the needs of professional growers as well as people just starting out, the user-friendly language and pragmatic approach will allow everyone to obtain exactly the information they need at any given time, to successfully propagate and grow native plants.
Content
The CalNativeHort Nursery Manual will cover site design, nursery construction or modification, facilities and equipment, best management practices, nursery hygiene, seed collection, propagation strategies, crop protection, and disease prevention and control. In addition, the Manual will provide the specific propagation and growing techniques for approximately 100 native plants, the species and varieties most important for the marketplace and for our local ecosystem. The Manual will be printed for distribution and also made available free of charge as a PDF download.
Purpose
The purpose of this Manual is to increase the availability of California native plants for southern California landscape gardens and ecological restoration projects, which in turn will lead to increased water savings, biodiversity benefits, and educational opportunities in our region. Nurseries, agencies, schools, tribes, communities, and individuals throughout southern California have lacked such an accessible, regionally-specific resource until now.
Relevance
The CNHF Nursery Manual will reach wide audiences due to the range of experiences and approaches of its authors. Other manuals currently available in print and online are often too technical, general, outdated, or inaccessible for the person just getting started. Unfortunately, this tends to create unintended barriers of entry for many beginners. The CNHF Nursery Manual will emphasize a tone that is approachable and humanistic. The authors themselves aim to support the reader on their growing journey, whether that reader is a passionate self-starter on a limited budget converting their backyard into a pilot micro-nursery, or a large-scale commercial grower interested in expanding their operation to include more native plants into their existing inventory.
Timeline
Writing for the Manual is currently underway. We are seeking sponsorship funding Fall/Winter 2026. The anticipated final date for publication is Spring/Summer 2027.
Sponsorship
Please inquire regarding opportunities for financial participation in this Manual at any level. Major sponsors, (water districts, agencies, organizations, non-profits, commercial concerns, or individuals) will be recognized with their name and logo included. All sponsors at every level will be listed. Thank you.
Katherine Pakradouni
- Backyard native plant grower and ecological horticulturist
- Founder of ecological horticulture and nursery consulting business Seed to Landscape (established 2020)
- Founding nursery manager of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing Project Nursery (2022–2024)
- Nursery consultant for UCLA’s Stunt Ranch Reserve, SAMO Fund, LA Parks Foundation, Northeast Trees, Tataviam Land Conservancy, Nature Nexus Institute, and others.
- Recipient of the Pathmaker Award, SoCal Horticultural Society (2025)
- Ecological horticulture educator and speaker
- Designer of LA’s first Miyawaki-inspired micro-forests
Mike Evans
- Founder and President California Native Horticultural Foundation (established 2025)
- Founder and President Tree of Life Nursery (1980–2025)
- President International Plant Propagators Society (2004) and Western Region President in 1994.
- President California Society for Ecological Restoration (2008)
- Horticulturist of the Year, SoCal Horticultural Society (2019)
- Recipient of various awards and honors involving native plants, water conservation, and horticulture.
- Nursery professional, writer, instructor, speaker, hiker, camper, musician, husband, father, grandfather.
A Native Plant Legacy
Tree of Life Nursery (TOLN), operated by business partners Jeff Bohn and Mike Evans, grew to become the largest and most successful native plant nursery in the state. Located on 40 acres in San Juan Capistrano, TOLN consistently produced over 400 varieties and handled an estimated 1200 taxa during its 45 year existence. TOLN is attributed to providing around 15,000,000 native plants to southern California landscape jobs, restoration projects and homeowners. The CNHF Nursery Manual will tap into 45 years of experience, records, and notes involving all aspects of native plant propagation and production.