On Monday, August 9, 2010, the San Diego Horticultural Society welcomes authors and TV and radio personalities Bruce and Sharon Asakawa. After over 20 years at their current home, they have a garden that is still “a work in progress," based on practical as well as whimsical considerations, personal tastes and inspirations from their travels around the world. Ranging from the rare and unusual to the more commonly available ornamentals and edibles, most of their favorites are ideal for California gardens.

Find out about these favorite plants from these very popular speakers. The presentation will be followed by an opportunity drawing featuring very special plants. The evening starts at 6:00 p.m. in the Surfside Race Place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Del Mar. Parking is free and everyone is welcome. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members.

Since 1996 we have honored an outstanding horticulturist as our “Horticulturist of the Year” for the San Diego Horticultural Society. For 2010 we have enthusiastically chosen Bruce and Sharon Asakawa as our Horticulturists of the Year. This horticultural couple are the first co-honorees, which seems fitting, since they’re a perfect team. We are privileged to recognize them for their significant contributions to horticulture in this region.

Bruce Asakawa has been in the nursery business since 1950 when his parents started Presidio Garden Center, one of the premier retail nurseries on the West Coast. He received a degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly, Pomona and developed and taught ornamental horticulture classes for the UCSD Extension Program in addition to being a landscape architect specializing in sustainable, residential and commercial landscape design.

A frequently-seen garden expert on TV, Bruce was also instrumental in helping to establish the California Association of Nurserymen’s Certified Nurserymen’s program. He was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to California’s Urban Forest Advisory Council and is a certified arborist. From 1977-1990, Bruce and Sharon owned Bonita Garden Center. During the early nineties Bruce became the host of West Coast Garden Line, the precursor to the Garden Compass radio show and has been with Garden Compass since its inception.

Sharon graduated from San Diego State University with a double degree in American Foreign Policy and Political Science. After marrying Bruce, she began working at Presidio Nursery in 1963, eventually managing both florist departments at Presidio and Bonita Garden Centers. She appeared with Bruce on Over the Hedge’s TV program and became co-host on the Garden Compass radio program in 2000. Sharon was the editor of Garden Compass Magazine and Garden Compass Planting Guide. Bruce and Sharon’s first book, Bruce and Sharon Asakawa’s California Gardener’s Guide, is now in its 7th printing. With their son, Eric Asakawa, they wrote California Gardening Rhythms. Their fifth book, California Gardener’s Resource, was published this year.

In 2009 Sharon and John Bagnasco began a nationally syndicated gardening show, GardenLife, on Sunday mornings from 8-10 on AM 1000 and streaming live on lifestyletalkradio.com. Sharon, Bruce and John also launched the GardenLife.com website for the latest on all things gardening.

For more information, call (760) 295-7089 or visit www.sdhortsoc.org

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