Community Free Day AT SB Botanical Gardens
Thursday, August 09, 2018 at 12:00 AM
The SB Botanical Garden is a 78-acre educational and scientific institution fostering the conservation of California’s native plants and serves as a role model for sustainable practice in Santa Barbara, California. The Garden was founded in 1926 and is among of the nation’s oldest botanic gardens focused exclusively on native plants.
On September 18th, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is offering a second “Community Free Day” as part of its year-long anniversary celebration of 85 Years: Growing Native. Citrix Online is sponsoring the free-admission day.
“Our first ‘Community Free Day’ was such a success that we wanted to do another one and Citrix stepped up to make that happen,” said the Garden’s Executive Director Dr. Steve Windhager. “Over the past few months Citrix employees have donated more than 350 hours of labor to the Garden and helped to maintain our historic Meadow and Porter Trail sections. With only five gardeners on staff and 78 acres of living native displays, we rely on the generosity of our volunteers to keep the Garden looking beautiful.”
“We are pleased to provide this free event to the community so that everyone can experience the joy that our staff has felt in visiting the Garden,” said Mike Musson, Citrix Online’s Vice President of Strategy & Business Development and a member of the Garden. “We have enjoyed our partnership immensely and are committed to supporting organizations that make our community a better place for everyone, and the Garden certainly does that.”
Along with free entry, visitors can participate in docent tours at 11am, Noon, 1pm and 2pm, visit an authentic Japanese Tea House, and get horticultural questions answered by Master Gardeners, who will have an information table in our Garden Growers Nursery along with a free seeds to sow in mini-pots for kids 12 and under.
In addition, for every Garden membership purchased, visitors will receive a free, one-gallon native plant.
In the Garden Store, patrons will receive a free Garden magnet with any purchase, and a copy of the book, Alice's Garden by Anne-Marie Castleberg, photography by Ralph A. Clevenger (a $29.95 value) free with a $50 purchase. Visitors are invited to pack a lunch and enjoy a lovely picnic on one of the Garden’s beautiful decks overlooking stunning vistas.
Parking at the Garden is very limited; use of alternative transportation via MTD’s #22 bus line or carpooling is strongly encouraged. As attendance is regulated by our Conditional Use Permit, only 205 people can be allowed into the Garden at one time.