Coastal Sage Gardening and Botany for Kids teamed recently to bring back guided nature walks on the second Saturday of every month through the Point Loma Native Plant Reserve.

The Point Loma Native Plant Garden is a hidden gem at 4444 Greene St. featuring many rare and endangered native plant species that are found along the San Diego River. The garden is part of the City’s Collier Park West between Ocean Beach and Point Loma.

Some of the plants in the collection are not found naturally anywhere else in the world other than San Diego. Located just uphill from the San Diego River estuary, this garden also features a native plant nursery where seedlings are nurtured, grown from seed, and cuttings harvested onsite.

Coastal Sage and Botany For Kids are two related businesses involved in landscape design working out of a mid-century modern building with a butterfly roof and geologic rock wall at 3685 Voltaire St. in Ocean Beach. Owned and operated by John Noble, Coastal Sage sells native plants, seeds, organic gardening supplies, educational toys for kids, dried herbs, spices, and gifts. Noble and his company also take care of the garden in front of the lily pond at the Botanical Building in Balboa Park.

Botany For Kids is an educational offshoot of the landscaping business which conducts nature tours and educational programs for kids. The program is run by the two “Graces,” Schmalz and Jackson, who share a first name and responsibility for helping conduct native plant tours led by Noble introducing youthful guests age 10 and under to the “rich, magical history of the community garden.”

One such garden tour was held on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Point Loma Native Plant Garden. It kicked off with light yoga at Collier Park around the corner preceding the nature tour in the garden.

“John (Noble) wanted to get us back out in this garden,” said Schmalz about how Botany For Kids got restarted. She added, “He was around when the ground footing was being laid down for this place when it almost became a residential development.”

“I helped plant this 30 years ago when it all started around 1990,” said Noble. “This (property) was on the selling block and the Point Loma Garden Club went to the City and got it to be taken off the selling block, and to be made into a native plant garden. It’s run by the San Diego River Park Foundation.”

The River Park Foundation is a public benefit corporation dedicated to the celebration and care of the San Diego River. Al Field is the foundation member in charge of watching over the San Diego Native Plant Garden.

One of the first stops on a Noble-led garden tour is a prominent California Coastal Live Oak Tree in the front of the park which he noted “have these leaves that kind of cup around your finger.”

The two graces are longtime friends originally from North Carolina who eventually both made their way out to San Diego. “We went to school together,” noted Grace Jackson. “Grace (Schmalz) moved out here to go to UC Santa Barbara. We both have always loved San Diego. Once we both graduated, we moved down here and she was running by (Noble’s) shop and they had a help wanted sign out there.”

“We met John and we were just talking and we quickly realized we felt the same way about nature and our love for children and our desire to just spread the good word,” noted Schmalz.

“We both loved plants and nature and wanted to share that magic with the children and awaken them to the beauty of nature,” noted Jackson.

“We wanted to spend some time in nature, get people out here, get them aware of this place,” concurred Schmalz. “It’s a great place to reset. When people bring their energy here — it also helps the garden.”

“Showing love and appreciation for the plants – they kind of show it back to you,” concluded Jackson. “And it’s cool to learn about the medicinal benefits of certain plants.”

The next guided tour of the native plant garden will be on Saturday, Jan. 11. For more information visit coastalsage.com.