In case you totally tuned out during the holidays and haven’t heard, Southern California water agencies have already declared a drought emergency for 2023, so expect another tight year for irrigating gardens and lawns (if yours survived last summer’s restrictions).

This is a good time to start planning how to manage all this in your yard, so we asked professional plant people and influencers for a little inspiration: What are their 2023 resolutions for their personal gardens or yards? Not surprisingly, most are looking at ways to conserve water.

Luckily, January is a great month for garden planning and learning. Check out the activities in our calendar and get inspired by what 10 SoCal plant experts are planning in the coming year:

Now here are plant-related activities for January. If you’d like to include events in my monthly garden calendar, email information by the third week of the preceding month to jeanette.marantos@latimes.com.

Jan. 7, 21 and Feb. 4 Foundations of native plant gardening, nine hours of instruction over three days by botanist Terry Huang from 9 a.m. to noon each day at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Huang, director of living collections, learning and engagement at South Coast Botanic Garden, will discuss seed saving, rhythms of our climate, personalities of the state’s unique flora and “how to better garden with the earth.” Expect classes to be taught indoors and out. Class sizes will be small, and advance registration is required. $420 ($350 for foundation members). theodorepayne.org

Jan. 10 The Orange County Organic Gardening Club presents “Caring for Your Garden Tools,” a free workshop taught by master gardeners Jon Schara and Ed Andrade about how to clean, sharpen, disinfect and protect garden tools, 7 p.m at Centennial Farm in the Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. Bring your clippers or other tools to the club’s January meeting, which is open to all. facebook.com

Jan. 12 Rose culture and pruning, a talk about rose care in California by John Bishop, horticulture director emeritus for the Sherman Library & Gardens, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the gardens, 2647 E. Coast Highway in Corona Del Mar. Tickets are $20 ($10 members). thesherman.org

Sherman Library & Gardens Lunch & Lecture presents notable gardens of England with master gardener Yvonne Savio, creator of GardeninginLA.net. Savio will discuss her visits to the Chelsea Flower Show, King Charles’ Highgrove Organic Sustainable Garden and the garden of Marjery Fish, the “mother” of cottage gardening, and techniques she learned there that can be applied to gardens in Southern California. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and the talk begins at noon at 2647 E. Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. Tickets for the lunch and lecture are $50 ($40 for members). Lecture only is $5 (members enter free). thesherman.org

Poachers are stealing wild white sage at an alarming rate from its Southern California habitat and selling it to smudge stick makers. Here’s how to save the native plant.

Free screening of “Saging the World,” a short 2022 documentary about white sage poaching, by Rose Ramirez and Deborah Small in partnership with the California Native Plant Society, at Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Drive in Griffith Park. The doors open at 7 p.m., with snacks available, and the film begins at 7:30 p.m. followed by a discussion and Q&A session with filmmaker Ramirez, a California Indian basketweaver of Chumash and Yaqui descent, and botanist Rico Ramirez of the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation. The event is co-sponsored by the Theodore Payne Foundation; Southern California Horticultural Society, Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains chapter; and San Gabriel Mountains chapter of the California Native Plant Society. Admission is free, but registration is required by Jan. 10. eventbrite.com

Jan. 13 Bare-root rose sale and rose talk by Tom Carruth, former rose breeder and current curator of the rose collection at the Huntington Library, Art Museums & Botanical Gardens, 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall. Carruth will review the roses available at the sale, discussing colors, scents, growth habits and best planting practices. Bare-root roses will be available for purchase after the talk. Free with advance reservation. huntington.org

Propagating California native plants from seed is a hands-on workshop taught by horticulturist Alejandro Lemus from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. The workshop covers basic seed physiology, seed viability, germination cues and pretreatments, sowing and aftercare. Each participant will leave with a flat of 50 starts for their own garden. Advance registration required. $85 ($75 members). theodorepayne.org

California native plants have many pros, but their potent scents are the biggest draw of all. Gardening experts share the most fragrant native plants.

Propagating California native plants is a hands-on workshop taught by Laura Breidenthal from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation nursery, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Breidenthal, a seed program technician at the foundation nursery, will explain how to start and grow native plants from cuttings. Expect part of the instruction to be outside. Advance registration required. $85 ($75 members). theodorepayne.org

Jan. 14, 28, Feb. 11 and March 4 Four-Part Mindful Garden Design with Shawn Maestretti, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. each day at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Maestretti, a landscape architect and arborist at Studio Petrichor, will lead participants in designing their own gardens with instruction in design elements, ways to capture rainwater and nurture living soil, choosing indigenous, climate-appropriate plants and repurposing materials. Registration is required by Jan. 4. Tickets are $450 for individuals ($400 for members) and $550 for couples working on one project ($500 for members). theodorepayne.org

Jan. 14 Growing a Backyard Orchard, a class about growing and maintaining fruit trees in your backyard, taught by Fruitstitute founder Joanna Glovinsky, 11 a.m. to noon at Fig Earth Supply, 3577 N. Figueroa St. in Mount Washington. Tickets are $10. figearthsupply.com

Container gardening in Southern California, a class taught by master gardener Yvonne Savio at 1 p.m. at the Wilshire branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, 149 N. St. Andrews Place in Koreatown. Admission is free.

Instead of a lawn, Jose Ramirez planted 250 trees, including avocados, limes, apples, mangoes and even coffee beans in his Boyle Heights yard.

Jan. 15 2nd Tarzana Native Plants Fair, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center, 19130 Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana, features native plants and books for sale, workshops, live music performances including local band Sage Against the Machine, and garden planning advice. The fair is organized by Valley Art Workshop, and participants include the Theodore Payne Foundation. Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains chapter of the California Native Plant Society, Tree People and Santa Monica Mountains Fund. Admission is free. tarzananativeplantfair.com

Jan. 18 California native plants for containers, a class taught by Theodore Payne Foundation nursery sales manager Flora Ito, 9-10 a.m. at the foundation nursery, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Learn which native plants do best in containers. $25 ($20 members) theodorepayne.org

Jan. 21 Finding Our Way Home With Fungi, a walk-and-learn class sponsored by the Theodore Payne Foundation, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Arroyo Seco in Altadena. Instructor Aaron Tupac, creator of the fungi education group called Exploring the Mycoverse, will explain the importance of fungi in rebuilding ecosystems and relationships between animals and plants. The walk is described as an easy/moderate uphill climb on an unpaved path. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring water and sun protection. Register to get information about where to meet for the walk. Tickets are $35 ($25 for members, children under 12 can join for free). theodorepayne.org

Oxnard Native Plant Fest, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way in Oxnard. The event includes plant sales, live music performance, including Sage Against the Machine, vendor workshops, food trucks, arts and crafts and other activities. Admission is free. visitoxnard.com

Jan. 23 “Pushing Limits: Growing Orchid Species Outdoors in Southern California,” a presentation by orchid grower Scott McGregor at the South Coast Orchid Society meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Whaley Park Community Center, 5620 E. Atherton St. in Long Beach. McGregor will discuss his successful experimentation in growing orchids outdoors as well as new species he recommends and tips for outdoor orchid growing. Admission is free. southcoastorchidsociety.com

Jan. 25 Native plant maintenance basics, a walk-and-talk class led by native plant enthusiast Erik Blank from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation demonstration garden, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes and long pants, and be prepared for an hour walk on sometimes steep and uneven surfaces. $15 ($12 members). theodorepayne.org

Jan. 28 Seed collecting basics, two classes taught by Descanso Gardens’ plant propagation horticulturist, Frank Obregon, about how to collect seeds and plant your own spring garden, offered from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and again from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Tickets are $30 ($25 for members). descansogardens.org

Understanding oak trees, a walk-and-talk class led by arborist Alison Lancaster, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. The class includes instruction in oak tree life cycles, including fire adaptation, non-harmful insects that use oaks as habitat, disease and pests that can threaten the trees, and maintenance tips, including drought-conscious watering, Tickets are $35 ($25 members). theodorepayne.org

Los Angeles needs micro forests to help fight climate change and animal extinctions, says horticulturist Katherine Pakradouni.

Ask an arborist about California native trees, a walk-and-talk led by arborist Alison Lancaster, 1 to 3 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. The walk around the foundation’s grounds will include information about planting, pruning, watering, pests and diseases of sycamore, Torrey pine, palo verde, Catalina ironwood and other native trees. Bring photos and questions about your trees at home. Tickets are $35 ($25 members). theodorepayne.org

Jan. 29 Herb walk at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park with Herb Club Los Angeles, a new group “designed to get young people to connect with the land and get to know their plant neighbors,” according to founder Andrea Jimenez. “Herb walks are accessible to beginner herbalists, botanists and just about anyone interested in reconnecting with the land.” The two-hour walk starts at 10 a.m. at 4235 Monterey Road in Lincoln Heights. Walkers are encouraged to bring a notepad, pen and water. Participation is free but registration is required. herbclubla.com

It's a date

Get our L.A. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Jeanette Marantos started writing for the Los Angeles Times in 1999, doing Money Makeovers until 2002. She returned to write for The Times’ Homicide Report in 2015 and the Saturday garden section in 2016, a yin and yang that kept her perspective in balance. In early 2020, she moved full time into Features, with a focus on all things flora. She is a SoCal native who spent more than 20 years in Central Washington as a daily reporter, columnist, freelancer and mom before returning to the land of eucalyptus and sage. Her present goal is to transform her yard into an oasis of native plants, fruit trees and veggies.