Joan, principal designer at Santa Barbara Garden Design for more than 20 years, specializes in designing colorful gardens composed of beautiful, water-conserving native and Mediterranean plants. Joan will present ideas about how to capture, spread and sink seasonal rainfall that might otherwise flow out to the street. She will also talk about layout and design choices that balance the desire for gardens to thrive, yet use less water. In addition to her design work, Joan is a long-time freelance garden writer. Locally, she writes for Edible Santa Barbara and Central Coast Farm & Ranch. She is looking forward to sharing what she knows about designing beautiful, low-water gardens while coping with the drought. 
   Gathering on a regular basis since 1880, the Santa Barbara County Horticultural Society meets at 7:00 PM generally on the first Wednesday of every month at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church on the corner of Foothill and La Cumbre Road. Visitors are always welcome. There is a free plant exchange prior to the meeting, refreshments are provided, and after the speaker there is a plant raffle where tickets cost only 25 cents. There is usually a monthly garden tour for members to some really outstanding gardens in Santa Barbara.