UPCOMING EVENTS
The gardens are open for public enjoyment on specific Sunday(s) each month. These open Sundays are reflected on this Upcoming Events listing.
Hours are 11AM to 3PM, weather permitting.
Bonsai Show
Celebrate Sei Boku Bonsai Kai’s 42nd Anniversary
Door Prizes • Raffle Prizes • Tree Clinic • Vendor Sales
• Plant Sales • Over 30 bonsai on display•
Saturday Headliner: Steve Jang
Demonstration 1pm-3pm, Demo tree to be raffled after 3pm
FREE ADMISSION
https://seibokubonsaikai.org/events/
Bonsai Show
Celebrate Sei Boku Bonsai Kai’s 42nd Anniversary
Door Prizes • Raffle Prizes • Tree Clinic • Vendor Sales
• Plant Sales • Over 30 bonsai on display•
Saturday Headliner: Valerie Monroe
”Watch a Bonsai Workshop” 1pm-3pm, Workshop tree to be raffled after 3pm
FREE ADMISSION
https://seibokubonsaikai.org/events/
This event is in conjunction with San Mateo Garden Center Open Sunday
Open Sunday
On Open Sundays, the Garden Center grounds are open to the public for walk in visits, and plants are available for purchase. Please bring the family (dogs on leash ok) to see the gardens and enjoy our quiet little oasis in San Mateo.
Secrets to Successful Succulent Landscaping Class
Join the California Garden Club -Bay Ocean District for this special presentation.
Learn the secrets to a successful, healthy and colorful succulent landscape from Janice Moody, a local Master Gardener, nursery owner and garden designer. She will discuss pre-planting considerations before you go out and buy a truckload of plants and then ponder where to put them. She will also provide garden design basics that include use of color, shapes, textures and heights, along with her favorite hardy landscape succulents for the Bay Area. And lastly, she will discuss how to care and maintain your succulents for a year-long healthy and colorful landscape.
Open Sunday
On Open Sundays, the Garden Center grounds are open to the public for walk in visits, and plants are available for purchase. Please bring the family (dogs on leash ok) to see the gardens and enjoy our quiet little oasis in San Mateo.
Open Sunday
On Open Sundays, the Garden Center grounds are open to the public for walk in visits, and plants are available for purchase. Please bring the family (dogs on leash ok) to see the gardens and enjoy our quiet little oasis in San Mateo.
6th BAHniversary — Bay Area Hoya Community Celebration
6th BAHniversary — Bay Area Hoya Community Celebration
Free Admission
Bay Area Hoya (BAH) — the SF Bay Area's community for hoya and dischidia plant enthusiasts — is celebrating its 6th anniversary right here at San Mateo Garden Center!
This free, open-to-the-public event includes:
🏆 Hoya Show & Community Vote — A curated exhibit of stunning hoyas and dischidias from community members, with public voting across fun categories like Best in Show, Cutest Leaf, and The Drama Queen
🌿 Hoya & Dischidia Exhibit — Learn about these fascinating tropical plants from passionate growers
🩺 Hoya Clinic — Bring your struggling plant for an expert diagnosis, or adopt a rescue plant to rehabilitate
🛒 Hoyas & Dischidias for sale — Shop specialty hoyas and dischidias from select vendors and private sellers. Proceeds go towards continued programming and future events!
No registration required. Drop in anytime between 11am and 2pm!
For more information or to join the Bay Area Hoya community: bayareahoya@gmail.com
This even ttake place in conjunction with San Mateo Garden Center Open Sunday from 11am-3pm.
Plant Sale & Craft Fair
Join us for this annual FREE community event at the San Mateo Garden Center! Located at the corner of Alameda de las Pulgas and Parkside Way (near Beresford Park and 28th Avenue in San Mateo).
Plant Sales, Garden Clubs, Vendor Booths
Kids activities:
Scavenger Hunt, Kids Gardening Table - take home a free small plant*
Live Music:
Jazz Combo, Carlmont HIgh School carlmontmusic.com/jazz-ensemble
Bass Trio, Stanford musicians jazzorchestra/nicholas-oey
Jazz Ensemble, Serra High School https://www.serrahs.com/arts/music
Plant Sales & Shopping
San Mateo Garden Center plant shop, located in lower garden sanmateogardencenter.org
Vendors:
AM Creations
Birgit Creations ceramics and plants instagram.com/birgit_in_sf
CasaPlants Bay Area instagram.com/casaplants
Cheat A Little cheatalittle.com
Coastal Dawne coastaldawne.com
Creekside Crafts instagram.com/creeksidecrafts_ro
D&D Flowers instagram.com/danddflowers
Handmade by Courtney instagram.com/handmadebycourtneyh
Jeanne's Unique Lens jeanneschlesinger.com
Las Selvas laselvas.com
Lather & More latherandmore.com
Rae Art Design R.A.D. instagram.com/r.a.d._raeartdesign
Seascapes Garden Center seascapesgardendesign.com
Studio Mestiza studiomestiza.com
Suncatchers by Susie
Clubs / Organizations:
City of San Mateo Parks & Recreation cityofsanmateo.org/Parks-and-Recreation
Garden Study Club
Going to Seed goingtoseed.org
Gold Coast Cymbidium Society goldcoastcymbidiumsociety.org
Mid-Peninsula Art Club
Peninsula Orchid Society penorchidsoc.org
Peninsula Quilt Guild peninsulaquilters.org
San Mateo Arboretum Society sanmateoarboretum.org
San Mateo County Rose Society sanmateocountyrosesociety.com
Sei Boku Bonsai seibokubonsaikai.org
SF Begonia Society Sfbegonia.org
San Mateo County Bird Alliance smcbirdalliance.org
Sunshine Craft Club
*While supplies last. Events subject to change.
In addition to providing a space for club and private rentals, the Garden Center provides its own public events.
These include the annual meeting, open house(s), and open garden times.
We would like to have the Garden Center provide more availability for public enjoyment and education. If this aligns with your thoughts, please consider volunteering to support this effort.