It’s an even numbered month, and the third weekend is coming up! You know what that means? Yes! A LACPS meeting!

Meeting Details

This is a meeting you don’t want to miss! On tap we have local CarnyPlant Plerd, Vanessa “Rocky” Valenzuela, master of the current hot trend in CP growing… Pinguicula Rock Gardens! Rocky will be holding a workshop suitable for beginners and experienced growers alike on how to prepare and plant your very own desktop Ping Garden! Be the envy of your workmates with one of these on display in your cubicle! Especially when you tell them you made it yourself!

And how can you learn the arcane secrets of this esoteric artform? Attend the meeting! This time around, we’re meeting in Pasadena, and …wait…what? Leslie’s still hanging out with Polly Keets in Australia? She arrives late Friday night and the space can’t possibly be ready by this Saturday? Ummm…Okay…Then let’s just do it the following Saturday, that gives a week to get the space ready and…wait…what? The following Saturday is the South Coast Plaza Spring and Garden Show? And LACPS will be helping at the SCCPE tables? Easily solved, we’ll just push the meeting into the first weekend of May and…okay, what NOW? Vanessa has a prior commitment that weekend at a plant sale in Long Beach? Ay, Caramba!

Alright, how about May 9th? How’s THAT look for everybody? LACPS collective? Leslie? Rocky? All good? Then it’s on!

So mark your calendars, True Believers, for a meeting that will knock your eyes out!

When is it?

Saturday May 9th, 2026.

The gathering will begin at 11 AM and extend to around 2 PM.

Where will it be?

For this meeting we will, once again, be at the lovely Leslie’s house in Pasadena, California. It is an outdoor location, with ability to go indoors if weather is inclement.

If you have been to a previous meeting at Leslie’s house, then you know where it is! If you haven’t, or if you are like our fearless leader and can’t recall where you left your reading glasses last night, write DJ to RSVP and he will give you the location deets (assuming he still remembers them)!

Cover charge

Entry fee, as always, is $4

Sales and trades

At this meeting there will be plants for sale and trade! Maybe some on display!

Additional Attractions

In addition to learning the ancient Ping techniques passed on to Vanessa by her ancestors you can expect:

• Access to the LACPS Seedbank, provided the Keeper of the Seeds (KOTS) John Green is in attendance! Mostly Sarracenia, but there’s other goodies as well. Check out the seed list for what’s available and place your order in advance with John. The seedbank is available to everyone to purchase from, and the prices are super cheap and only available at the meetings! In addition, DJ will have some special packets of Drosophyllum seeds as well as Venus Flytrap Mixed Forms, special artisanal Sarracenia crosses, and others priced at $10 a packet.
• Knosh and drinks (including special, super rare, highly sought after Ale-8-One Artisanal sodas (maybe even a PawPaw flavoured soda)! What other carnivorous plant society would bring you that!?)
• Interesting and quirky conversations on all sorts of subjects, not just Insectivorous Plants!
• An open invitation to the traditional after meeting gathering at an as-yet-to-be-determined eatery for a late lunch (at participant’s own expense, natch!).
• The opportunity to purchase some exclusive LACPS Swag for your very own! This includes the latest T-Shirt, older versions in limited sizes, and the VERY limited edition Baseball Cap.

Be there, or be octogonal!