Nature Sunday: Underground

September 27, 2026, 10 am – noon

Join Gretchen Renshaw, assisted by Barb Renshaw and Jeff Reifel, for a talk and workshop on soils and plant nutrition with special attention to the California native plants of the Franciscan Complex, and the plants of serpentine soils and other niches.

Gretchen Renshaw is a horticulturist and teacher. She co-founded the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden. This demonstration garden features California native plants and sustainable gardening practices.

Gretchen taught general science and horticulture to both adults and children. She worked as a science teacher in an elementary school, engaging students in hands-on science activities. In parallel she taught horticulture at UCLA Extension. Because she could not find a suitable textbook for her class on Soils and Plant Nutrition. She decided to write one with her partner. “Underground: A Gardener’s Guide to Soil and Plant Nutrition” was published in 2019.