Amid hillsides of invasive grasses and towering non-native eucalyptus trees, a few community tended plots atop a peak in LA’s oldest public park are home to a thriving community of native plant species.

Part community stewarded native garden, part ecological restoration project, Test Plot in Elysian Park is an oasis of native plant life, an experimental space for (re)building biodiversity and community.

Here, a dye plant walk presents a unique opportunity to encounter a diverse gathering of native plants, some uncommonly found in the wild or in this immediate area. Together we’ll visit each of the hilltop plots, where I’ll share about the plants’ natural color potential, other ethnobotanical uses, stories, and more.

At the end of our walk, we have generous permission from the folks of Test Plot to gently forage and create our own unique eco-prints expressing the seasonal colors and patterns of the plants growing there! I hope you’ll join me for this walk & workshop intended to inspire new (or renewed) ways of interacting with and caring for native plants.