Embracing the Nature of California

Early Life.

As a young man, Theodore Payne (1872-1963) immigrated to Southern California from England to pursue a career in horticulture. He fell in love with the local flora, especially our wild flowers, which were threatened by development. Mr. Payne worked as a gardener and seedsman before opening his own nursery in 1903. By 1906, he was cultivating California wild flowers and offering their seeds for sale.

Passion For Native Plants.

Over the course of his long career, Mr. Payne concentrated more and more on California native plants and became a powerful advocate for their use in urban landscapes. He brought more than 400 different native plants into cultivation, lectured and published on their horticultural value, and developed many important public and private gardens.

The Foundation.

When "Theo"retired in 1960, his supporters formed the non-profit Theodore Payne Foundation to honor and sustain his legacy. The Foundation carries on Theodore Payne's extraordinary vision to re-wild the gardens of California. We do this by promoting the value of native plants, working for their preservation, and making plants available to all. Today the Foundation helps people fall in love with our unique flora and inspires new generations to keep our landscapes Californian.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  Los Angeles, CA  |  Los Angeles County  |  91352  |  California  |  United States of America

Portal of the Folded Wing
Pierce Brothers Valhalla Dignity Memorial
McGroarty Home
Bolton Hall
Burbank Branch Railroad
Sister Elsie's Well
The Griffith Ranch
Burbank City Hall
Burbank's First City Hall
Burbank Post Office

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.