The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants with Jane S. Smith

In this Second Thursday Garden Talk, Smith will discuss Luther Burbank (1849–1926), who was the most famous gardener on the planet for over 40 years. From his modest home in Santa Rosa, California, and his experimental farm in nearby Sebastopol, he developed over 800 new varieties of fruits, flowers, trees, nuts, and grains.

You can order The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants from the Huntington Store.

A book signing and plant sale immediately follows the presentation.

Key Details

• Reservations are required to attend the talk.
• No entry to the grounds before 2 p.m.
• Book purchases and signing will take place on the patio outside the Ahmanson Classroom.
• No early bird shopping.
• Rain or shine.

About the Speaker
Jane S. Smith writes about the intersection of science, business, popular taste, and social history. She received her Ph.D. from Yale University and has taught at Northwestern University on subjects ranging from modern fiction to the history of public health. She is the author of nine works of fiction and nonfiction, including The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants, winner of the Caroline Bancroft Prize for Western American History. For more information, visit janessmith.com.