Fall In Love with Native Plants at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s Annual Fall Planting Kick-off Weekend Beginning November 9 

Garden members receive early access on Friday, November 8, to shop the largest selection of native plants on the central coast 

Santa Barbara, Calif. – October 22, 2024 – With the rainy season on the horizon for the central coast, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is encouraging everyone to “Fall in Love with Native Plants.” Having evolved to survive the region’s unique weather patterns and best equipped to provide habitat for local wildlife, native plants offer residents a range of benefits from attracting birds and butterflies to helping save water in the landscape.  

To make it easier for the community to grow native plants, the Garden’s annual kick-off planting weekend opens to the public on Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Throughout fall, the Garden’s Nursery is stocked with the largest array of unique and fan-favorite native plants, ready to grow in home landscapes. During the opening weekend, staff and volunteers will be on-site to help guide visitors through plant selection and offer tips and tricks to ensure gardening success.  

“Fall is the perfect time to introduce California’s native plants into your home garden. The shorter days, cooler weather, and winter rains help your plant roots grow deeper, ensuring better establishment ahead of our hot, dry summer months,” Matt Straka, the Garden’s retail manager, shared. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and sharing some of our best advice to help everyone succeed at home.” 

Further celebrating the season and inspiring everyone to join the native plant movement, the Garden is asking the community to post a picture of their new native plant on Instagram tagging the Garden (@SBBotanicGarden) and using #FallNativePlantLove. Throughout November, the Garden will monitor and reshare qualifying posts. One entry will be selected at random to receive an annual Garden membership. For more information visit https://bit.ly/48dFV10  

How to Shop In-person or Online 

Located just inside the Garden’s gate, the Nursery is open daily between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and offers a wide selection of easy-to-grow native plants year-round. Garden admission is not required to visit the Nursery. 

To support the fall planting season, beginning in November, the Garden’s Nursery not only increases the supplies of common varieties to meet seasonal demand, but also offers harder to find plants, with different varieties arriving weekly.  

Garden Members are invited to shop the expanded assortment early, starting Friday, November 8, from 2 to 5 p.m. by making a reservation at https://bit.ly/3A2lgQR.  Reservations are limited and good for one parking space and one hour of stress-free shopping. As always, Garden members receive a 10% discount on every purchase. 

A current inventory of native plants available at the Nursery is available online at Shop.SBBotanicGarden.org. Photos and lists of suggested groundcovers, shrubs and trees, plants for slope and erosion control, lawn substitutes, and easy to grow varieties are also available at https://sbbotanicgarden.org/grow/gardening-resources. 

“The fall planting event is a fun, supportive gathering of native plant enthusiasts and new gardeners just discovering their love of native plants. It is my favorite event of the year,” said Keith Nevison, director of horticulture and operations. “It’s a chance to geek out about plants that I’ve had my eye on all year, the ones that stir my soul. All of them provide excellent habitat and each deserves a place in gardens across the central coast.” 

Garden Classes & Events to Prepare and Enjoy the Season 

October 23 at 9 a.m. The Garden’s next California Native Plant Landscaper Certification program begins this week! This 19-hour hybrid learning opportunity covers the tools professionals need to manage native plants and California-friendly landscapes successfully. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3YxONeI  

October 26 at 9 a.m. Learn more about water wise landscaping from Santa Barbara Landscape Architect Billy Goodnick, then enjoy a guided tour through the Garden. Registration is open at https://bit.ly/40dqjIN  

October 29 at 6:30 p.m. Led by the Garden’s Director of Education and Engagement Scot Pipkin, this virtual class covers the importance of California’s native plants in creating habitat. Learn how you can transform your space to attract butterflies, bees, birds, and other beautiful and beneficial wildlife. To register, visit https://bit.ly/4hhUCnY  

November 9 at 9 a.m. Join Matt Guilliams, Ph.D., the Garden’s Tucker systematist and curator of the Clifton Smith Herbarium, and José Flores, the Garden’s invertebrate technician, for a free walk at Elings Park to learn more about native plants and how to identify them using iNaturalist, a free application used by scientist and enthusiasts to ID and track observations in nature. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3YeiArt  

November 12 at 8:30 a.m. Meet at the Garden for a special morning bird walk with Rebecca Coulter, the head compiler for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Santa Barbara. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4f39HYE  

November 15 at 5 p.m. Bring the family for a fun-filled evening learning about native plants and the habitats they provide as the Garden transforms after dark. Space is limited. To reserve your spot, visit https://bit.ly/4hd6MOI  

November 16 at 11 a.m. Kids ages 8 to 13 are invited to join the Garden’s group of Backcountry Pathfinders as they explore the native oaks of the Garden. Pathfinder events are free, but space is limited. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/3BSgsy2  

November 23 at 8:30 a.m. Experience the physical and psycho-spiritual benefits of slowing down, relaxing, and dropping into a deeper state of connection to the natural world. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3NzSSZA