Nothing beats the taste of a home-grown tomato! Descanso Gardens once again will host the TOMATOMANIA! tomato seedling sale on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3. Dubbed “the tomato freaks’ Woodstock,” TOMATOMANIA! will include a plant sale, lectures and cooking demonstrations.
TOMATOMANIA! started as a West Coast phenomenon in the 1990s. Over time, it has become a coast-to-coast springtime tradition for tomato-loving home gardeners. This is its sixth year at Descanso Gardens.
“Bringing the event back to Descanso always feels like coming home for my team,” said TOMATOMANIA! founder Scott Daigre. “My goal each season is to grow and showcase a group of the most interesting and unique tomato seedlings we can find, then secure a wonderful space to invite gardeners to visit. Descanso Gardens is a perfect TOMATOMANIA! destination.”
The schedule includes:
• Plant sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The TOMATOMANIA! plant sale on the Main Lawn will feature hundreds of healthy seedlings, including heirloom varieties, old favorites and many unusual plant offerings.
• Patina’s tomato faves, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Purchase delectable dishes and distinctive beverages featuring tomatoes. And don’t forget to check out the Bloody Mary bar!
• Grow Great Tomatoes lecture, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m.Sunday: Learn secrets to growing a bumper crop of tomatoes bursting with flavor at this talk in the Under the Oaks Theater.
• Patina cooking demonstration, noon: Get expert advice on cooking with your harvest from a Patina Restaurant Group chef at this demo in the Under the Oaks Theater.
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011. Admission is $9 for adults; $6 for seniors and students with a school I.D.; $4 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 4 and younger. For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.org. Descanso Gardens is a member-supported garden accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
About Descanso Gardens
Founded as a public garden in 1953, Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Descanso Gardens is open daily (closed Christmas) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults; $6 for seniors and students with a school I.D.; $4 for children 5 to 12, and free for ages 4 and younger.
Descanso Gardens is a member-supported garden accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Join Descanso Gardens and enjoy free admission and early entry year-round. Information: (818) 949-4200 or descansogardens.org.
