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California Native Gardens

Care and Cultural Significance

Join us in the reading garden to learn about California native gardens from Gabrielino Tongva Culture Bearer Tina Calderon and professional gardener Derya Kadipasaoglu.

In this program Culture Bearer Tina Calderon will speak about the role native plants play in Gabrielino Tongva culture, and professional gardener Derya Kadipasaoglu will teach the basics of creating and maintaining a California native garden, to include choosing plants, creating a layout, and caring for the garden during different stages of growth. 

About the presenters

Tina Orduno Calderon is a Culture Bearer of Gabrielino Tongva, Chumash, Yoeme and Chicana descent. She is a Song Keeper, poet and storyteller and has composed over two dozen songs in her ancestral languages of Tongvé and Chumash. She strongly believes in honoring her ancestors by sharing their history and educating others around Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Tina works with many environmental organizations and schools, serves on several Boards and holds many advisory positions within educational and environmental fields to give voice to the lands, waters & sacred elements while encouraging others to be good relatives.  

Derya Kadipasaoglu is a professional gardener and artist living in Altadena, who specializes in California native plants. She began her career as an academic in a field completely unrelated to botany or landscaping, spending most of her time in classrooms and research labs. On weekends she found increasing joy hiking and camping in California’s diverse landscapes, discovering the unique beauty of its native plants. A month-long camping trip from California to Vancouver Island solidified her decision to step away from academia, and through a series of fortunate twists and turns, she deepened her passion for California’s native flora and began her professional gardening career. 

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