Speakers

Greg Rubin, named the 2018 Horticulturist of the Year by the San Diego Horticultural Society, is a leading expert in California native landscape design. An award-winning designer, consultant, and lecturer, he has created more than 800 native landscapes across San Diego County and Southern California. 

Greg is the co-author, with Lucy Warren, of the bestselling Timber Press books The California Native Landscape (2013) and The Drought-Defying California Garden (2016), both widely used as foundational guides to native gardening. 

A part-time professor at California State University San Marcos, Greg teaches native medicinal plant courses in the Anthropology Department and has also lectured at MiraCosta, Cuyamaca, and Palomar Colleges. 

His notable design work includes the award-winning “Journey Home” Wizard of Oz exhibit at the 2019 San Diego County Fair, the nine-time-award-winning “California Fusion” native Japanese garden display for the San Diego Botanic Garden, and the all-native infield at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Racetrack. 

A frequent speaker and media guest, Greg has presented for institutions such as Caltech, JPL, Huntington Gardens, and the Landscape Industry Show, focusing on native landscaping, design, and fire-risk reduction. 

Specialties: California native horticulture; native design and installation; hardscape and lighting; troubleshooting; fire-resilient native landscaping; insurance assessments.