Light on the water

At the heart of the sustainable gardens movement is the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants, the Sun Valley education center and nursery whose annual self-guided garden tour will be held today and Sunday. More than 40 properties from Monrovia to Long Beach, each composed of at least 50% native plants, will be open for viewing. A $20 ticket covers both days; for details call (818) 768-1802 or go to www.theodorepayne.org.

Here’s a sneak peek at one of the stops: Chris Elwell and Kory Odell’s clever mix of salvaged materials and low-water flora outside a 1910 Craftsman in L.A. For the full story, look for the photo gallery at latimes.com/home.