Garden Design To Support the Web of Life Part 1: Design for Wildlife and Beauty With Layers Some of the most diverse and interesting habitat gardens I encounter use habitat layers, massing, and strategic plant palettes to great effect. Ecologically, building three-dimensional (3D) structures in our gardens helps us support the web of life. Aesthetically,…
Last year, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden introduced a new nursery initiative designed to produce locally adapted plant material for restoring wildlands and for anyone wanting to support wildlife with regionally endemic native plants. We call this program our 805 Initiative, named for our area code, which stretches along the South and Central Coast of California,…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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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