Gardeners Sought for Spring Planting Event

Horticulture fans are invited to grab a shovel, throw on some overalls and head to the Los Angeles River for the Village Gardeners spring planting celebration Saturday.

The group is inviting anyone with a passion for gardening, or even a passing interest, to plant, rake and tend to the myriad of flowers in the garden just south of the river off Valleyheart Drive near Longridge Avenue in Studio City.

“We’re not only celebrating the start of spring,” said Lynn Marquardt, the founder of the group.

“We’re celebrating how the community is embracing this garden.”

The Village Gardeners has been tending a strip of land on the south side of the river since 1994. What started as a small collection of flowers has become a half-mile-long oasis, with small, distinct pockets highlighting different flowers or paying tribute to the people who planted them.

In the past month, the 80-member group has been contacted by residents from across the Valley interested in taking a spot in the soil and planting something beautiful.

“The response has been overwhelming. There are so many new faces,” Marquardt said. “Saturday should be a good day to get to know each one of them.”

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their own tools and plants.

“There’s always something for somebody to do down there,” Marquardt said.

More information is available from Village Gardeners at (818) 981-1606.