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WATER-WISE PLANTS ... UC Master Gardeners will talk about "Arboretum All Stars: Proven Winners for Your Garden," a collection of locally successful water-wise plants, on Saturday, Sept. 4, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, 851 Center Drive, Palo Alto. A searchable database of Arboretum All-Stars can be found at arboretum.ucdavis.edu The free workshop is followed by a tour of the Water Wise and Edibles gardens, which demonstrate vegetable beds interplanted with flowers that attract good insects; espalier and three-in-a-hole fruit trees; container plantings; and compost and worm bins. Information: Master Gardeners at 408-282-3105, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or mastergardeners.org.

AUTUMN COLOR ... Mimi Clarke will teach a hands-on class on "Autumn Color Maintenance" Saturday, Sept. 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. Fall gardening practices covered include selecting and planting bulbs and annuals, pruning, mulching and composting. Fee is $45 for nonmembers, $35 for members. Information: 650-364-8300 or www.filoli.org.

GREENING BAY AREA LANDSCAPES ... The Bay-Friendly Landscaping and Gardening Coalition is hosting a sustainable landscaping conference, "Transforming Urban Landscapes to Protect Our Water Resources," Friday, Sept. 17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Mary's Event Center, 1111 Gough St., San Francisco. The conference is aimed at landscape professionals, as well as government officials and urban gardening enthusiasts. Topics include storm-water and gray-water use, pest management and designing water- and energy-efficient landscapes. Information: www.bayfriendlycoalition.org/2010Conference.shtml or info@BayFriendlyCoalition.org.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET ... Cindy Roberts will teach a cooking class called "Mediterranean by the Sea," featuring three fish entrees with accompanying couscous and mushroom side dishes, on Monday, Sept. 13, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Palo Alto High School, Room 103, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto. Cost is $50. Information: 650-329-3752 or www.paadultschool.org.