Coastal Sage-Botany for Kids, a local environmental group in Ocean Beach, has launched a Nature Tour series at the Point Loma Native Plant Garden on the second Saturday of every month.
On those days from 10 a.m. to noon, the group meets at the garden at 4444 Greene St. to embark on a native plant tour introducing youthful guests to the “rich, magical history of the community garden.”
The tours geared for children ages 10 and under are primarily led by Coastal Sage owner John Noble, who has been creating beautiful green landscapes in San Diego for over 40 years. He is helped by associates Grace Schmalz and Grace Jackson, two coordinators of Botany for Kids.
Botany is a program offering plant and gardening lessons via walks and talks to kids, families, groups, and schools. Participants work together on restoring some of the planter beds and get crafty during their two-hour garden visits.
“We are a garden shop and an herb apothecary,” noted Schmalz about their mentor Noble’s business at 3685 Voltaire St. She added, “John does landscaping. We do green-space installment and Botany For Kids helping kids interact with nature. We do that by offering nature crafts. We lead kiddos on a storybook hike as well as encouraging them to slow down and fall in love with nature.”
The two “Graces” and Noble recently kicked off their guided nature tours
which are to be held over the next three months on Dec. 9, Jan. 13, and Feb. 10. “We ask for a $10 individual donation or a $20 family donation to keep our resources cycling for the benefit of the garden,” said Schmalz.
Pointing out their garden tours are instructive as well as fun, Schmalz noted “A lot of people don’t know about the Point Loma Native Plant Garden which is truly a serene spot. We teach people about native plants and their medicinal properties and a lot of different things about them. It’s a super good time.”
Nestled in the heart of Point Loma, the native plant garden was pioneered and planted by the Point Loma Garden Club, City Parks and Rec, and friendly members of the community. Back in the ‘70s, the garden was a vacant lot that was almost developed into real estate properties. However, the Garden Club and local communities came together to protest its development and create an open green space for everyone to enjoy. It is currently open to the public, and Coastal Sage Gardening and Botany for Kids are trying to increase awareness and knowledge of it.
Both Graces started out doing gardening for Noble, which led to their helping him revive the Botany for Kids program, which had been dormant during COVID. Jackson, a marketing major in college, took on that role for Coastal Sage, along with handling their social media, including promoting the resurrected Botany for Kids program.
Schmalz, a field guide with a nonprofit working at a wildlife refuge, said she and her friend Jackson are fortunate to have discovered Noble and Coastal Sage. “We wanted to find something we could share our passion and synergy with and put our efforts toward. When we got involved with Coastal Sage – we never knew how much of a perfect match it would be.”
For more information, visit coastalsage.com.
