Everybody loves witnessing a transformation. From “Pimp my Ride” to “Property Brothers,” it’s so satisfying to watch something (or someone) go from sad to spiffy! Over the next five years, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will be transforming public gardens and other open spaces around Santa Barbara County to native habitat havens. Just like the cars…
Invasive species present the greatest threat to terrestrial biodiversity globally and your backyard may unknowingly be the biggest thoroughfare. How is this possible you ask? Ornamental horticulture, plants grown for decorative and recreational gardening and sold at nurseries worldwide, are the primary way invasive plants are being introduced into local ecosystems. While the important role…
The western population of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is at an increasing risk of local extinction, having declined 99% in population size over the last 20 years. Whether their decline is the result of increased pesticide exposure, climate change, or the loss of important habitat is still not clear. Unique to our part of…
The islands of the Californias are precious gems strung along the coast of western North America — stunningly beautiful and home to unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, like the diminutive island fox, the cobalt blue island scrub-jay, and the iconic island oak. These unique ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to introduced…
There are many great quotes about living your life’s passions. For some, simply finding what lights them up is a long and winding journey that can last a lifetime. While others, like me, we not only find it … but we are lucky to turn this passion into our life’s work. Sure, my story doesn’t…
This December, a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy and the Conservation and Horticulture departments at the Garden resulted in the addition of 56 new plants to our living collection. These plants represent two populations of the federally and state endangered Santa Cruz Island Bush Mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. nesioticus) from Santa Cruz Island that have…
Do you ever wonder what the rare plant technicians get up to during the summer? Let your curiosity be quenched in this tale of two collectors. But first, a little background. The Department of Conservation and Research at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (the Garden) partners with many organizations and agencies to accomplish our conservation projects.…
Situated in a small, unassuming room on the west side of the Garden is a tiny laboratory that has made an outsized impact on the way scientists view the world. Exaggeration? Not really – for over 25 years the Garden’s Plant Anatomy Lab has served as the home base for the pioneering anatomical work of…
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