Category: Conservation & Research

Botanist searching for seeds in a larger patch of Santa Lucia bedstraw.
April 10, 2026
A Week in the Field as a Rare Plant Botanist  

While our 2025 field season got off to a slow start, by mid-July, most of the Rare Plant Team was heading out every week to sites across California for field work. On this particular week, Chloe Tilton, Rare Plant Technician, and I were in the midst of a marathon 5-day field trip. Day one was spent driving from Santa Barbara to Sacramento, successfully making three rare plant seed collections along the way. Woohoo! On day two, we worked around the Sacramento area at two natural reserves, including finding and collecting seeds from a massive population of Spicate calycadenia (Calycadenia spicata, California Rare Plant…

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A group of birders gathering in a circle to discuses the days events
April 10, 2026
Down for the Counting: A Birdy Morning in Cuyama Valley

On a cool morning this February, a group gathered at the Buckhorn Roadside Resort in Cuyama Valley to watch birds and drink coffee. Most participants had never used binoculars to go birding before, so the morning officially began with a binoculars tutorial: We described how to adjust the spacing between the barrels, how to focus…

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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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Person gardening among succulents with small water fountain nearby.
December 31, 2025
The Joy of Native Plant Gardening | How Liz Barnitz is Making a Difference

Getting started with native plants can feel overwhelming – so many species, so many choices. Should you hire a designer, or go DIY? Does that ceanothus shrub look better here, or there? If you’ve felt this way, congratulations, you’re a gardener! I recently spoke with Liz Barnitz, president and landscaping coordinator of a Santa Barbara…

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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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planting native plants in downtown
December 12, 2025
Native Plants Transform Downtown Santa Barbara in New Pilot Project  

A unique collaboration between Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Friends of State Street (FSS), and the City of Santa Barbara has resulted in the first-ever native plant pilot project in downtown Santa Barbara. The 200 plants installed on the 1200 block of State Street support the Garden’s efforts to achieve 30% native plant cover in the places where…

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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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