Category: Botany

Two people examining soil samples in grassy field.
January 12, 2026
Getting Started: Small First Steps Towards Transformation in Cuyama

Every restoration project has a beginning that looks far quieter than people expect. Before the plants bloom and the critters return, there is planning and lots of it. There are conversations, calendars, and maps spread across tables, and moments of uncertainty balanced by shared excitement. For us, the early days of the Garden’s landscape transformation…

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Green title page reading, "Native Plant Tool Kit, How to support the health and well-being of people and the planet"
January 8, 2026
The Native Plant Tool Kit

This is Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s resource guide for knowing and growing biodiversity through gardening with native plants. Here, we present a list of tools, ideas, and practices that have been curated to inspire hope and empower stewardship of the ecosystems that sustain us, and the planet. Whether you’re a seasoned native plant ambassador, or someone who is just getting acquainted with the power of native plants, you’ll find helpful tips, tricks, and opportunities in this toolkit.…

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Bee collecting pollen from vibrant red cactus flower
December 31, 2025
Three Reasons Native Plants Are Essential

It is difficult to overstate how important plants are to our existence. Their ability to turn the sun’s energy, water, and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen is what makes plants one of Earth’s most precious resources. This life-giving power of plants is one of the fundamental reasons why gardening is such a quintessentially human…

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Person holding white bucket on freshly tilled soil.
December 5, 2025
Installing Your New California-Native Lawn

Once you’ve decided on the role of your lawn, evaluated your site conditions, chosen your lawn species, and planned for irrigation, now it’s time to start your installation. (If you haven’t taken these steps yet, I encourage you to read my earlier article here.) Soil preparation will be the next important step and the most…

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Sunlight streaming through trees in lush garden setting.
November 24, 2025
Introducing Ironwood Issue 38

Stories Rooted in Conservation, Community, and Connection The newest digital edition of Ironwood, the Garden’s biannual magazine, has arrived, offering a journey into the world of California’s native plants and the people working every day to protect them. Issue 38 is an invitation to explore how native plants shape our landscapes, our communities, and our…

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Beautiful view of the Channel Islands from the lawn of the Garden
November 21, 2025
How to Start Your California-Native Lawn 

Lawns are an integral part of the landscape at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. They are a place where we host public and staff gatherings, educational classes, and personal milestone events throughout the year. Here at the Garden, we display California’s native grasses that succeed in both meadow and lawn settings. They require less water than…

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Orange wildflowers and green bushes under clear blue sky.
September 26, 2025
A Climate-Forward Planting Experiment Teaches Right Plant to Right Place

Here’s a scary fact: by the year 2080, the climate in Santa Barbara is projected to approach that of present-day Ensenada, Mexico. Already, temperatures are rising and drought is increasingly frequent. What’s a sustainable gardener to do? In my hot, dry, south-facing Santa Barbara yard, which my husband and I rarely watered (and where I…

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