Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Marks 100 Years as California’s Native Plant Champion

Garden Unveils Year-Long Centennial Celebration of Exhibitions, Events, and Community Connection Beginning January 2026

Santa Barbara, Calif. – November 21, 2025 – In 2026, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will mark 100 years as the first botanic garden in the United States dedicated exclusively to native plants. Since its founding in 1926, the Garden has remained rooted in one guiding principle: that native plants are essential for the health and well-being of both people and the planet. From its visionary beginnings and collaborations with world-renowned scientists and designers to its rebirth following the 1964 Coyote Fire and the 2009 Jesusita Fire, the Garden’s century-long story reflects resilience, innovation, and a deep connection to community. 

To access the Garden’s Centennial Celebration’s hub, visit SBBotanicGarden.org/100years/ 

“As we begin our second century, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden stands not only as one of our community’s treasured assets, but as a statewide leader demonstrating how native plants are essential to sustaining life on this planet,” said Steve Windhager, Ph.D., executive director of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. “The work happening here – from botanical and horticultural research and rare plant conservation to inspiring and training the next generation of conservation leaders – is made possible by a dedicated and deeply talented team of staff and volunteers. But it’s also carried forward by our community, who have embraced the Garden as a place of learning, connection, and refuge for generations. Our Centennial honors that shared legacy and inspires what we will achieve together in the next 100 years.” 

The Centennial year will offer a robust calendar of community activations, exhibitions, and celebrations that invite visitors to explore the Garden’s living collection, deepen their relationship with native plants, and celebrate a century of conservation leadership.  

Key Centennial Highlights  

13th Annual Conservation Symposium, January 31, 2026 

The year begins with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s 13th Annual Conservation Symposium, presented by the Nakashima-Rennie family. Centered on the theme “Planting With Purpose,” the event will honor renowned entomologist and best-selling author Doug Tallamy with the 2026 Honorable John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Award. Known for the books “Nature’s Best Hope” and “Bringing Nature Home,” Doug has become one of the most compelling voices in native plant gardening. Tallamy will present new insights on biodiversity loss and the powerful role native plants play in reversing ecological decline. The Garden’s Conservation Department will also share updates from its fieldwork across the West Coast and Channel Islands demonstrating the critical role of native plants in sustaining the diversity of native insects, birds, and other wildlife. Click here to register.  

Launch of the Native Plant Pledge 

Beginning in January 2026, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will launch a “Native Plant Pledge,” inviting the public to join the movement for native plant conservation. The goal is to have 10,000 people make the pledge and take meaningful action in support of native plants in 2026.  

Debut of the Centennial Route 

A new curated route will guide visitors through Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s most historic sites — including the Blaksley Boulder, a remnant of the Pleistocene debris flows, named in honor of founding supporter Anna Dorinda Blaksley Bliss, the redwood grove planted in 1930, and the LEED-certified Pritzlaff Conservation Center, built in 2016 after the Jesusita Fire burned 80% of the grounds — offering a deeper understanding of the people and stories that shaped the Garden over the past 100 years. 

Go Behind the Scenes at the Garden  

In honor of the incredible work that has shaped Santa Barbara Botanic Garden over the past 100 years, the community is invited to go behind the scenes through a new video series. These short films offer rare access to the critical scientific work that happens at the Garden out of public view — from species conservation in the Seed Bank, to the documentation of California’s flora in the Herbarium, to cutting-edge research in the Genetics Lab. By bringing this work forward, the Garden hopes to show how our research is developing solutions to the challenges humans and other species face.  

Centennial Beer Garden, March 14, 2026 

Held during its 100th birthday weekend, the Beer Garden remains the Garden’s premier annual fundraising event. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Mission Canyon, guests are invited to explore 5.5 miles of trails while enjoying specially crafted beer pairings inspired by native plants, acoustic performances, and small bites from local restaurants. Every dollar raised supports environmental education, conservation research, and native plant horticulture. Click here for more information. General admission tickets on sale January 14, 2026. 

Native Plant Month – April 2026 

April will celebrate Native Plant Month with a series of public programs, including the Community Garden Tour on April 18, featuring private landscapes thriving with native plants; the debut of a new short film about the Garden’s Landscape Transformation Project at Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden in partnership with local Film Producer Soraya Simi, and a range of horticulture classes, guided walks, and family-friendly activities. 

Centennial Art Exhibitions – May 2026 

Curated by Kevin Spracher, the Garden’s interpretation and exhibitions curator, a new Gallery Exhibition and a series of outdoor art installations will debut in May. Together they juxtapose archival photography of the Garden and contemporary artwork to honor a century of growth, resilience, and ecological discovery. 

Celebrations at the Garden – June through October 

Throughout the summer and fall, the Garden will host a series of smaller, intimate programs designed to offer visitors and supporters unexpected ways to engage with the Garden and its Centennial story. Save the date for the return of the always-popular Summer Serenades (July 17, July 31 and August 14), and a first-ever Silent Disco in the Redwoods on October 2. 

Large-Scale Community Celebration – Fall 2026 (Date TBD) 

The Centennial year will culminate in a major community celebration in the fall. Additional details will be announced soon! 

Over the past 100 years, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has grown from a local destination into a global leader in native plant conservation. Throughout 2026, visitors can attend Centennial events, explore new art exhibitions, and sign the Native Plant Pledge to take meaningful action in their own landscapes. Community members are also encouraged to become Garden members, volunteer, or support ongoing conservation work, ensuring this treasured institution thrives for the next century. By participating, residents become active stewards in a living legacy—one that protects California’s native plants and habitats and strengthens the future we all share. Learn more and get involved at sbbotanicgarden.org/100years/