California True Colors Garden and Learning Center, Goebel Adult Center,Thousand Oaks
Goebel Adult Community Center — California True Colors Garden
1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA
Garden History
2011 — The Anchor Garden was installed with 40 UC Davis Arboretum All-Star plants. Garden talks focused on reduced water use in the home landscape.
2012 — The drought-tolerant California Garden was installed with support from Ventura City Corps youth and the City of Thousand Oaks. Master Gardeners planted 215 water-wise plants and three slow-growing trees. A series of four garden talks attracted 380 residents, and 391 people participated in garden tours.
2013 — The Mediterranean Garden was established with 218 water-wise plants, new pathways, and two arbors for shade and seating. Garden talks on water-wise design, plant selection, California natives, and pollinator gardens drew 382 attendees. Garden tours were offered following talks, with 569 participants.
2014 — The Australian Garden was established with 204 low-water plants, two slow-growing trees, and 50 lavender plants. In response to California's severe drought declaration, Master Gardeners partnered with Calleguas Municipal Water District to deliver 60 water-wise talks across Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Oxnard, and Simi Valley — reaching 5,572 attendees. Master Gardeners facilitated 61 garden tours with nearly 2,500 visitors.
2015 — The Chilean Garden was established with 410 water-saving plants. Garden talks and tours attracted 618 attendees; talks moved to the Thousand Oaks Library to accommodate growing attendance. Nearly 2,461 people participated in 57 garden tours.
2016 — The South African Garden was established with 625 plants. Weekend classes on gardening journaling and plant selection were offered. Garden talks held on the third Saturday from June through September drew 387 attendees. Master Gardeners conducted 41 garden tours with 783 participants.
2017 — The California True Colors Garden and Learning Center was completed. Future programming will include workshops on water-efficient landscaping and irrigation basics. Master Gardeners participated in the Thousand Oaks Wellness Day at the Goebel Center, with 215 garden visitors.
About the Garden
The Goebel Center Garden is located in front of the Senior Center on Janss Road in Thousand Oaks, with sidewalk access on three sides and adjacent parking. The site features a series of satellite demonstration gardens showcasing plants from various Mediterranean climates around the world. Many plants are UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars — varieties tested and recommended for California gardens. Five additional gardens are planned. Each year, Master Gardener trainees participate in planning and installing a new garden as part of their hands-on training.
Master Gardeners assigned to this site are involved in site assessments, garden design, site preparation, irrigation installation, plant selection, and general garden maintenance including weeding and planting.
Objectives
- Provide and support educational opportunities related to gardening
- Provide a comfortable and engaging setting for training and educating Master Gardeners
- Promote and demonstrate UC science-based gardening practices
Activities
- Regular gardening practices including weeding, cleaning, deadheading, and planting as needed
- Garden design, site preparation and layout, and irrigation installation and repairs as needed
- Enjoy gardening alongside fellow volunteers
Volunteer Work Days
Thursdays: 8:30 AM–11:30 AM