Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will hold its annual Fall Plant Sale 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at the garden’s nursery, 1212 Mission Canyon Road.

The event offers a variety of California-native plants from the nursery, along with expertise and guidance from staff and volunteers to help gardeners make the most of the fall planting season, organizers said.

Advance shopping reservations are required here. 

“Fall offers an ideal opportunity to introduce California-native plants into home landscapes,” organizers said. “Shorter days, cooler temperatures and seasonal winter rains support root development, giving plants time to become established before the heat and dryness of summer.

Planting now allows gardeners to work with California’s seasonal rhythms and give new plants a stronger start, the said.

“Now that this year’s heat is subsiding and with an El Niño cycle under way, this fall and winter will be a great time to establish some native plants in your garden,” said Matthew Straka, retail manager for Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

“To establish new plants, they need good watering to get those roots deep into the dirt to help them when the heat and dryness returns next summer,” Straka said.

“It’s also a great time to scatter annual wildflower seeds in your garden to get you ready for a stunning spring show of color,” he said.

Beyond benefiting the garden itself, native plants provide habitat and resources for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, the Botanic Garden said.

Choosing plants suited to local conditions can also help gardeners reduce landscape water use once plants are established. From adding a few native plants to expanding an existing garden, fall planting is a practical way to support biodiversity at home.