Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest Presents the Urban Garden Tours and Talks and Talks at Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles (September 5, 2006) - The Music Center of Los Angeles County welcomes Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest as the exclusive sponsor of the Urban Garden Tours and Talks. The Urban Garden, which is located at the Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall, features extensive plantings of varied and colorful trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses. Designed by Melinda Taylor Garden Design and planted and maintained by ValleyCrest, the garden offers a quiet respite in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.

The Urban Garden Tours, offered on weekends at 12:45 p.m., explore the nearly one-acre community garden, its 45 blooming trees, and the Frank Gehry-designed, 15-ton Delftware, rose-shaped mosaic fountain, the centerpiece of the Blue Ribbon Garden.

In addition to offering Urban Garden Tours, Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest and the Music Center are also introducing free Urban Garden Talks, a series of informative lectures led by hand-selected experts designed to provide everyone from garden aficionados to curious beginners with tips on creating and maintaining healthy and vibrant home gardens. Upcoming Urban Garden Talks include Salvias with Betsy Clebsch, author of The Complete Book of Salvias on September 13, 2006; Winter Pruning with Brian Helgoe, general manager of Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest on December 13, 2006; and Attracting Birds and Butterflies on March 14, 2007 (speaker to be announced).

"The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall Urban Garden is a unique place that stands out in the urban landscape of Downtown Los Angeles," states Stephen Rountree, President of the Music Center. "Our partnership with Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest will enable people to become more knowledgeable and inspired about gardening while enjoying a new experience at the Music Center."

"One of the biggest surprises visitors experience at the Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall is the Garden because something of its beauty isn't expected," said Brian Helgoe, General Manager, Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest. "The garden itself is arguably one of the most horticulturally significant and delightful urban gardens in the world. Learning why this is the case through the Urban Garden Tour is a worthwhile experience that simply shouldn't be missed."

For more information about the Urban Garden Talks, contact the tour department at 213-972-3688.

The Music Center of Los Angeles County is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation and one of Southern California's premier cultural destinations, welcoming over 1.6 million visitors annually. Centrally located in downtown Los Angeles along Grand Avenue, the Music Center is comprised of four venues - Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater and Mark Taper Forum - as well as outdoor theaters, plazas, and gardens.

Estate Gardens by ValleyCrest, a division of ValleyCrest Landscape Companies, provides discerning homeowners with complete landscape solutions encompassing, design, build and long-term maintenance.