Thursday, November 3, 2011: 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
California Center for Sustainable Energy
8690 Balboa Ave., Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92123

Mike Evans, owner of the famous Tree of Life Native Nursery in San Juan Capistrano presents a workshop on the best native plants for use in sustainable urban gardens. This class will discuss the best cultivars of native trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers, especially targeting ones that tolerate integration with non-native, but low water use garden plans. He will also share types of natives that thrive best in totally native plant restoration projects, as well as offer advice about the best natives to select for creating educational bird and butterfly habitats, and which native plants may have higher shade or water requirements, and why.

This class is now completed

Mike Evans was born and raised in southern California and demonstrated an early love for the outdoors.  He worked with several nurseries both retail and wholesale, before establishing Tree of Life Nursery in 1976.  The nursery specializes in native California plants.  Tree of Life Nursery promotes a style of authentic horticulture, specifically the concept of appropriate landscaping with native California plants.

Mike is affiliated with numerous conservation, horticultural and botanical organizations.  He is past president (1994) of the Western Region of International Plant Propagators’ Society (IPPS) and served as IPPS International President in 2005.  The IPPS Regions include Great Britain/Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, three Regions in North America with outreach to Eastern Europe and South America.  He is past president (2001) of the California Society for Ecological Restoration.

Mike was involved in water conservation during the 1980’s as a founding member of the Xeriscape committee through Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.  He received the Xeriscape Award in 1986.  In addition, he has been active in the California Native Plant Society, the California Botanical Society, and The Nature Conservancy.  He served on the horticultural committee for The Jepson Manual project, the definitive California flora published in 1993.

Mike is one of the original board members on the Richard and Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy in San Juan Capistrano.  He also serves as President of the Board for the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente, and formerly the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. Mike is Chairman of the Board for the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo, a 20,000 acre land conservancy in south Orange County.

With his experience in native plant production, design, landscaping, and ecological restoration, Mike Evans advocates a present-day California that deserves to look like the true “California.”  Mike often is called on to write or lecture on the subject.  His hobbies include hiking, surfing, photography, music, reading and writing.  He serves as pastor of a Spanish language Christian church in San Juan Capistrano.

Mike Evans is president of Tree of Life Nursery.  In 2000, he received the Curtis J. Alley Award from the Western Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society.  In 2007, the nursery was honored to receive two statewide awards; the Horticultural Award from the California Native Plant Society and the California Glory Award presented by the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.  In 2011, Mike was honored to receive the Native Perennial Award from the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society 

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Tree of Life Nursery

Tree of Life Nursery was established in 1976 and is now the largest native plant supplier in California.  The 40-acre nursery produces a high quality line of California natives on the historic Rancho Mission Viejo in San Juan Capistrano.  More than 500 species and varieties of native plants are grown in various container sizes.  Tree of Life provides plants for landscaping and ecological restoration at the wholesale level.  In addition, natives are made available to the general public through Casa ‘La Paz’ where plants and books are on display for retail sales.  The nursery website, www.CaliforniaNaivePlants.com provides information on the use of native plants in the garden.  The Tree of Life Nursery catalog, entitled “Plants of El Camino Real,” is used as a planning tool for horticultural professionals and garden enthusiasts working with native plants.

General Description

Products

Tree of Life Nursery is known for its high quality line of California natives.  Over 500 species and varieties of native plants are propagated and produced in various container sizes.  The nursery also offers seed production and seed increase services.  Personal attention and assistance are given to each and every customer.

Tree of Life has earned a reputation for dependability on special orders, site-specific provenance, large quantities, and specialty sizes.  An on-going program for mycorrhizal inoculation gives Tree of Life customers access to plants which will withstand the rigors of revegetation jobs.  Expert technical assistance is provided with plant orders and production contracts.

Tree of Life has become the largest native plant nursery in California.  Through almost 30 years of native plant production and involvement in numerous professional organizations, the staff has gained extensive experience and knowledge in the fields of plant propagation, ecological restoration, habitat enhancement, and authentic landscaping, that is, gardening that reflects the true meaning of California.

History

Tree of Life Nursery was founded by Mike Evans in San Juan Capistrano, California in 1976.  Tree of Life began as a wholesale nursery/landscape contracting firm propagating and growing California native plants and specializing in authentic garden design for southern California, as licensed contractors.  In 1979, the company began to place more emphasis on developing the wholesale nursery and reducing its activity in landscape installation.  In 1981, a partnership was formalized between Mike Evans and Jeff Bohn.  At that time the contractor's license status was changed to "inactive" and the company is no longer in the contracting business.  In 1986, the nursery moved from a 4 acre leasehold on the Lacouague Ranch in San Juan Capistrano to its current location on Rancho Mission Viejo.  In 2001, the company was incorporated in the state of California.  The entire focus since 1981 has been propagation, production and wholesale supply of California native plants for landscape and ecological restoration.

Statistics

Tree of Life Nursery produces native plants on a 36-acre leasehold on the historic Rancho Mission Viejo.  The nursery produces approximately 500 varieties in various sizes of containers.  The wholesale business is comprised of sales from inventory and contract growing.  A display section of the nursery with representative samples of plants, demonstration gardens, and a bookstore is available for wholesale customers and open to the general public.  Tree of Life enjoys a very good, long-term relationship with the landlord, the Rancho Mission Viejo.  Tree of Life has been a leading force in the use of native plants in southern California.

Memberships

Tree of Life has been an active member of the California Association of Nurserymen (C.A.N.) since 1976.  Mike Evans is a California Certified Nurseryman, Advanced Status (No. 463).  He has served on the C.A.N. Research Committee, and the Environmental Resource Management Subcommittee.  Mike's role on the Committee was to assist C.A.N. in addressing the issue of escaped exotic plants in California.

Tree of Life Nursery is a founding member of the National Wildflower Research Center based in Austin, Texas.

Tree of Life is an active and founding member in the Society for Ecological Restoration.  Mike Evans is a regular contributor to the Society's newsletter, the SER News.  Mike Evans was President of the California chapter (SERCAL) 2001.

Mike Evans is a Director of the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy.

Mike Evans is a Director of the Casa Romantica in San Clemente.

Several members of the nursery staff maintain individual memberships in numerous professional organizations.  Among the most prestigious is the International Plant Propagators' Society (IPPS).

Tree of Life Nursery
33201 Ortega Highway
P.O. Box 635
San Juan Capistrano, CA  92693

Tel. (949) 728-0685  Fax 0509

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