California Botanic Garden

Join us in congratulating our very own Executive Director Lucinda McDade for her selection for the American Horticulture Society's (The American Horticultural Society) highest award, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award! Read more about Lucinda's career and accomplishments here: https://ahsgardening.org//great-americ/2021-award-winners/

Join us virtually this Saturday, March 27 at 11am as Keir Morse, botanist, photographer, and CalBG graduate student introduces the basics of nature photography. Gain insight into camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and more. With the use of example photographs, you will be able to visualize the effects of these settings and begin to understand when and why you may want to use them. Walk away inspired and ready to capture the beauty of spring in Southern Calif...ornia! Test out your new skills with a visit to the Garden! Please note, this class will meet online through Zoom. Pricing: Public $25 | CalBG Members $20 Register: https://www.calbg.org/event/nature-photography Pictured: Chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) by Keir Morse

First full week of spring, here we come! Can you spot the bumble bee in this picture? Pictured: Grape soda lupine (Lupinus excubitus)

Spring has sprung and the Easter bunny is soon to come! Head over to the Poppy Shop near the entrance of our Garden to pick up some spring time gifts for kids and adults alike!

Weekend reminder! Face masks are required at the Garden, especially when approaching staff and other visitors. This is a friendly reminder to affix your face mask to properly cover both your nose and mouth before interacting with our staff.

During Women’s History Month, California Botanic Garden (CalBG) celebrates important California women in botanical history, beginning with the Garden’s founder, Susanna Bixby Bryant. Born in 1880, visionary founder Susanna Bixby Bryant personified the independent spirit, taking on active management of her family’s Cañon de Santa Ana Ranch in Orange County, California in her early 30s. Mrs. Bryant developed a keen interest in the native flora of the State and deplored habitat ...destruction and the absence of California native plants in landscapes and gardens. Bryant emphasized the need to document and preserve California’s native flora, protect some of California’s rarest plants, and bring together as complete a collection of California’s rich plant diversity in one location. With the advice of leading authorities, Mrs. Bryant set aside 200 acres of the Santa Ana Ranch in 1927 and began to establish a collection of living native plants, an herbarium, and a library. In 1951, following the founder’s untimely death in the late 1940s, the Garden moved to its present Claremont site to affiliate with the Claremont Colleges. It is to Susanna’s credit and her steadfast vision that CalBG takes pride in its nearly 100-year legacy at the forefront of native plant advocacy and engagement, connecting audiences with the horticultural value, ecological roles, plant science and anthropological legacies of California’s flora. See more

The Garden will be closed tomorrow Friday, January 1, 2021 for New Year's Day. We will open again on Saturday, January 2 at 8am. Here's to a brighter 2021! We'll see you all next year! ID: Fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla)... PC: Deb Woo See more

The beautiful San Gabriel Mountains are covered in snow! Look at this incredible shot from inside the Garden with one of our Boojum trees! PC: Mark Merritt

Enjoying today's rain!

The Garden will be closed tomorrow, Christmas Day. We will re-open on Saturday, December 26 at 8 AM. All of us here at California Botanic Garden wish you Happy Holidays!

Clayfornia: Ceramic Sculpture in the California Sunshine transforms the Garden with artwork from 14 artists from AMOCA Ceramics Studio American Museum of Ceramic Art / AMOCA. The exhibition is free with daily admission. The Garden is open Tuesdays - Sundays from 8AM - 5PM. Tickets are available for purchase on our website. Pictured: "Hanging with Mom," "Watching You," and "Gardener's Friend" by Kim Lingo Kim Lingo.

Are you looking for a great tree to create habitat in your garden but don't have a lot of space? Try our native scrub oak, Quercus berberidifolia. This beauty slowly grows to a maximum size of 15-20' high by 15' wide and supports birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. It is the perfect tree for a small residential lot. Shop the scrub oak and many other native plants on our online Grow Native Nursery: https://california-botanic-garden.myshopify.com//californi

Imagine California native plants, the Great British Bake Off & holiday wreaths all in one. It’s not a dream it’s #WreathMasters! Follow this epic wreath competition between botanic gardens, nurseries, CNPS & other partners this winter and attend the live event on December 18 to find out the winners! All wreaths have to be made with 51% California native plants, be ethically sourced and submitted through a participating partner. With over 10 competing organizations and a fab...ulous panel of judges including Maurice Harris of Bloom & Plume, Katie Chirgotis of Eothen, and Jennifer Jewell of Cultivating Place: Natural History & the Human Impulse to Garden, Wreath Masters is a celebration of the California native plant community, floral artistry and the seasonal beauty of our flora. We’re halfway through the competition, and the halls are decked with incredible California native plant wreaths from throughout the state! Check out all current submissions and be sure to register for the live competition on Dec 18 at cnps.org/WreathMasters. Visit cnps.org/WreathMasters for more! Artemisia Nursery California Native Plant Society Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants Descanso Gardens Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Sherman Library and Gardens Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Our City Forest Moosa Creek Nursery Tree of Life Nursery Grassroots

We now have a scavenger hunt for visitors to play and discover the sculptures featured in our exhibition titled Clayfornia: Ceramic Sculpture in the California Sunshine! This scavenger hunt is great for all ages to crack the clues and find the included sculptures! This exhibition is in partnership with AMOCA (American Museum of Ceramic Art / AMOCA) Ceramics Studio. You can pick up a copy of our new scavenger hunt at the Admissions Kiosk or print out your own copy here: https:...//www.calbg.org/events-programs/exhibitions Purchase daily admission tickets here: https://11213.blackbaudhosting.com/11213/sslpage.aspx Pictured: Untitled by Beverly Helfer-Grand.

Learn how to create a festive and fragrant holiday centerpiece! Follow along with us virtually in our Arrange Wild: Winter Edition workshop as Linda Prendergast of Native Designs, a volunteer group at CalBG, leads us through the steps of making a festive holiday centerpiece. Gain insight into the ecological qualities of the native greenery used in your arrangement with knowledge from CalBG staff. Class participants will be able to pick up a centerpiece kit at CalBG on Frida...y, December 11 and Saturday, December 12. The kit will include everything you need to make a beautiful centerpiece, such as fragrant foliage bundles, decorative pine cones, 2 candles, floral foam, floral tape, a centerpiece bowl, and a gathering bucket for your fresh greenery. The virtual class will take place through Zoom on Saturday, December 12 at 2pm. Pricing: $45 Members | $50 Public | $65 VIP Register: https://www.calbg.org/event/arrange-wild-winter-edition

Today we are going on a Taxidermy Tour! Graduate student Christina Varnava takes us on a walk through the Garden to meet some animals often seen in Southern California! For more nocturnal themed activities and educational fun, check out our Things That Go Bump in the Night activity boxes! The activity box includes a sterilized owl pellet, kid safe dissection tools and tray, a bone chart, and an envelope to hold on to your findings. You will also receive a CalBG exclusive acti...vity book with loads of nocturnal knowledge and pages to color, crayons, a plush bat puppet, an amphibian origami craft, native seeds to attract those nighttime pollinators, and a creepy crawly surprise. You will also receive a print out of the clues to the Garden scavenger hunt. Upgrade to the VIP Bump Activity Box which will also include life-like, dress up moth wings in addition to all that is mentioned above. More information: https://www.calbg.org//things-that-go-bump-in-the-night-ac

Today is the Winter Solstice AND the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn! While we enjoy the longest night of the year, it is also the first time in 400 years since Jupiter and Saturn passed each other this close in the sky and the first time in 800 years since this alignment happened at night! (Source: NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Let's officially welcome winter!

We have a horticulture class next weekend! With fall comes preparation. Squirrels are gathering acorns, deciduous trees begin to drop their leaves in preparation for winter, and here at California Botanic Garden, we are getting ready for fall planting season! Fall, and into winter, is the perfect time to plant many California native plants. The cooler temperatures and the rainy season ahead allow for these plants to become established before the harsh temperatures of a Southe...rn California summer. The benefits of planting with natives are vast! Aside from the wonderful aesthetic qualities and pops of vivid color natives bring to your garden, by planting species most suited to this Mediterranean climate, you will conserve water and support our local pollinators and seed dispersers.... not to mention being able to enjoy wonderful wildlife viewing! In preparation for your fall planting, join us Saturday, October 24 from 11 am to 12 pm for our virtual Planting with Natives horticulture class via Zoom. With the guidance of Steven Valdez, Lead Production Technician at CalBG and Master Gardener, learn about some tried and true native plant performers for most garden environments, shade versus full sun selections, how to prepare your site for planting, watering and basic tips for new plants and how to adapt their care as they become established. Armed with your new native planting knowledge, visit the online Grow Native Nursery - open to the public on November 5th - to make selections for your fall planting. Participants of the class will receive a $5.00 off coupon for purchases over $50.00. Pricing: Members $20 | Public $25 Register here: https://www.calbg.org//planting-with-natives-horticulture-

Do you want to pay it forward this holiday season? Do you love the Garden? Today is Giving Tuesday and, this year, we are raising money to have a FREE day for those who cannot afford to pay to visit the Garden. Give someone the opportunity to explore our 86 acres of California native plants by making a donation online. Please include "Giving Tuesday" in the comment line. Donate: https://www.calbg.org/event/giving-tuesday

We have a horticulture class coming up this weekend! Join us virtually this Saturday, December 5 at 11 AM to learn some of the tricks of the trade when it comes to native plant propagation. With the guidance of Steven Valdez, Lead Nursery Technician at CalBG and Master Gardener, we will focus on multiple methods of propagation including seed starting, cuttings, and divisions. Become familiar with some of the tools and materials we use in the Garden’s nursery and learn what is practical to do at home. Walk away feeling inspired to begin starting your own native plants from scratch! Pricing: Members $20 | Public $25 Register: https://www.calbg.org//propagation-seeds-cuttings-and-divi

The next installment of our Conservation Stories: Virtual Lecture Series is next Tuesday! You must register online to receive the Zoom link. The suggested program fee is $10, but there will be an option to register for the talk free of charge. Sophia Winitsky, Ph.D. student at Montana State University Discussing conservation issues in the Adobe Valley in Mono County with CalBG Director of Conservation Programs, Naomi Fraga... Tuesday, October 20 | 6 pm - 7 pm Sophia Winitsky is a botanist from Los Angeles CA. Her interest in conservation stems from a love of biodiversity and California. For her M.S., completed at California Botanic Garden, she compiled a floristic inventory of Adobe Valley in Mono County, CA. She is currently a Ph.D. student at Montana State University working on the systematics, biogeography and conservation of the legume genus Marina. She has worked for the California Native Plant Society, the Jepson Herbarium and with the Inyo National Forest. Register here: https://www.calbg.org//conservation-stories-a-virtual-lect Future Talks: Mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 17 for a discussion with Maria Jesus about her conservation work in the southern Inyo Mountains.

Today we celebrate and honor Indigenous Peoples' Day. Our Garden sits on Tongva land. We will continue to honor the Tongva here at the Garden and to thank them for their stewardship of this beautiful land. We will also continue to collaborate with modern day Tongva and Indigenous people of other ancestries as we explore foods from native plants and share them with a wider audience. These photos were taken from last year's Acorn Festival where local Native American tribal leaders and culture keepers shared connections to the California landscape through ceremonial dance, art, and activities.

Fall brings many new beginnings. Our Gift Shop has been transformed into our new Poppy Shop located at our main entrance nestled next to the Admissions Kiosk. Visitors can shop the curated selection of gifts and Garden logo wear starting this weekend! The Poppy Shop is open Thursdays - Saturdays from 9am - 3pm. The Poppy Shop only accepts credit cards; cash or checks cannot be accepted at this time. Our online gift store remains open with shipping options.

Who’s that scurrying through the bushes at night? Who’s that silently swooping through the darkness? Who begins to emerge as the sun goes down? Who who whoooo? Well it’s all the Things That Go Bump in the Night of course! Our annual Things That Go Bump in the Night event is going to look a little different this year. Instead of two nights in the Garden, you can bring a little bit of Bump home and enjoy ongoing Bump activities all throughout the month of October! With the Thin...gs That Go Bump in the Night activity box, you can get to know some of the elusive nocturnal creatures and uncover their secrets. The activity box includes a sterilized owl pellet, kid safe dissection tools and tray, a bone chart, and an envelope to hold on to your findings. You will also receive an activity book with pages to color that are loaded with nocturnal knowledge, crayons, a plush bat puppet, an amphibian origami craft, native seeds to attract those nighttime pollinators, and a creepy crawly surprise. You will also receive a print out of the clues to the Garden scavenger hunt. Want to give the garden an extra boost of support? Upgrade to the VIP Bump Activity Box which will also include life-like, dress up moth wings in addition to all that is mentioned above. Keep an eye on the digital content page of our website and our social media platforms for Bump related videos, activities and trivia. The Bump activity box will be available for purchase on our online store starting October 1! Box pick up will be available at the garden starting October 16. Pickup only! We are not able to ship or deliver Bump boxes. Pricing: Bump Activity Box - $65 VIP Activity Box - $90 CalBG Members receive 10% off their purchase using code MEMBER. Purchase Bump boxes here: https://california-botanic-garden.myshopify.com//activity-

It’s a Claremont Scarecrow Party! Meet Cal-Boo-G! Who has seen our new friend at the CalBG entrance? Come by for a photo now through October 31!

Explore with a nocturnal themed visit to the Garden: put on your detective hat and solve our Things that Go Bump scavenger hunt riddles to find the stations hidden throughout the Garden. The scavenger hunt is available October 3 through October 31 during our regular operating hours, Tuesdays - Sundays from 8 AM - 6 PM. We are closed on Mondays. You can print a copy from our website, follow along with your smartphone, or pick up a copy at the admissions kiosk. Keep an eye on t...he digital content page of our website and our social media platforms for Bump related videos, activities, and trivia. Scavenger hunt will be available in the Garden October 3 - October 31. Free with the cost of admission. Download your own copy here: https://www.calbg.org//things-that-go-bump-in-the-night-sc Buy a Bump activity box here: https://www.calbg.org//things-that-go-bump-in-the-night-ac

Stay hydrated! We are open from 8 am - 6 pm, come on in and enjoy a walk in the Garden this weekend! PC: Deb Woo Tickets: https://11213.blackbaudhosting.com/11213/sslpage.aspx

Join us for a fun educational video where we explore dormancy in California native plants!

Our annual Things That Go Bump in the Night event is going to look a little different this year. Instead of two nights in the Garden, you can bring a little bit of Bump home with an activity box and enjoy ongoing Things That Go Bump in the Night activities all throughout the month of October! Keep an eye out for details coming next Thursday, October 1st!

It's hump day! We are looking forward to the rest of the week and of course, the weekend! Come take a peaceful walk in the Garden this week. The Garden is open Tuesdays - Sundays from 8 AM - 6 PM. Members may enter the Garden by simply showing their membership cards. Public tickets are available for purchase on our website www.calbg.org.

Look what we found at the Garden! Happy Sunday!