The Tending and Gathering Garden

The Tending and Gathering Garden (TGG) is a collaborative effort between the local Native American community and the Cache Creek Conservancy (CCC) to demonstrate the traditional land and plant management practices of California’s native people.

These two acres nestled in the homeland of the Wintun people have been restored with native plants found within the Cache Creek watershed. These plants are used for basketry, food, fiber, shelter, medicine, and watercraft.

The TGG provides a place for “hands-on” education including plant identification, plant use, and traditional management methods. It’s also a source where cultural practitioners can gather plants.

The TGG is managed with both traditional and contemporary horticultural practices. These include pruning, coppicing (cutting a plant back to the ground), hand weeding, irrigating, and burning.

Hand digging is used to harvest certain plant materials. No chemical pesticides are used in the garden. Fire is one of the best management tools because many native species are well adapted to frequent natural events.

This garden is guided by the TGG Steering Committee. The committee members include Native American practitioners from several tribes and CCC staff. Guided by traditional management methods of California’s Native Americans, this garden grows from the work of many hands. Deep-rooted regard for the land and natural beauty of this area drives the work of the Steering Committee for the garden.

Cultural Burns

Good fire, or Leok Po, is crucial to the health and usefulness of plants in the TGG. We’ve had a number of regional events demonstrating the methods and benefits to fire departments, policy makers and the public. Our Workshop in November, 2022 was well-attended and praised by everyone.

The Tending and Gathering Garden has its own Facebook page! Like The Garden on Facebook and follow for the latest update!