Six botanical-themed lectures with receptions in the Garden’s courtyard during the spring and summer. Sponsoring vintners provide glasses of two different premier wines for attendees; one red and one white, as well as information about each of the wines. The Garden provides appetizers for our 40-50 guests to enjoy followed by a lecture by a well-known garden expert, scientist or author. Presented by ... Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Venue ... Santa Barbara Botanic Garden  () -  Website

Please join us in the Garden's Blaksley Library for a presentation of our plans for the Garden's future development, including the treatment of our historic landscape and building plans. Refreshments will be provided. Please confirm your attendance via registration@sbbg.org or by calling (805) 682-4726 ext. 102. We look forward to sharing our vision and progress with you. Thank you for your continued support of the Garden. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Website

In honor of National Dog Day the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is pleased to offer a special invitation for the community to bring their four-legged friends to the Garden. This event will feature canine-centric activities including: FREE Admission for Visitors with a Leashed Dog; “Doggie in the Meadow” Photo Contest; Free Doggie Snacks; Canine Caricature Artist; Doggie Giveaways; Prize Drawings; Doggie Docent Tours; Dog Products for Sale; and Dog Resources & Advice. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Website

Botanic-themed lectures are held on our courtyard starting in the Spring of 2012 and running through the end of summer. Each lecture will feature a sponsored Vintner who will provide glasses of two different premier wines for attendees; one red and one white, as well as information about each of the wines. There will also be an assortment of cheeses and crackers for ticket holders to enjoy. Open to the Public. Member Discounts available. JULY 28 -- Channel Islands Restoration. Lecturer: Ken Owen, Executive Director of Channel Islands Restoration. Winery: Oreana Winery. AUGUST 25 -- Reproduction of Elizabeth De Forest’s Lecture for Gardens of America. Lecturer: Sydney Baumgartner, Landscape Architect. Winery: Tercero Wines. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Email   Website

This is a wonderful opportunity for families to get outside and explore all the critters – both seen and unseen – in the Mission Creek riparian corridor. “Mission Creek Critters: Family Exploration and Discovery!” taught by Diana Kennett, stream biologist and Judy Sanregret, Director of Education for SBBG. “The creek is teeming with life: on the surface; in the water; and under the mud,” said Judy Sanregret, SBBG’s Director of Education. “This is the perfect opportunity for parents, grandparents, or caregivers to get outside and explore this fascinating habitat with eager young naturalists!” Using nets and trowels provided by the Garden, participants will scoop and dig to explore the shallow pools in Mission Creek as it runs through the Garden’s canyon. From caddisfly larvae to green algae, participants will collect some critters to look at in the lab under a microscope and discover the amazing unseen world of water insects, amphibians and plants! Class participants will also learn about the Mission Creek Watershed and the role it plays in a healthy community. Participants should wear water shoes and bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the Garden after class. The cost is free to Garden members and $5.00 per person for non-SBBG Members and reservations are required to participate. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Website

Many Santa Barbarans have never visited the Basin and Range Province of California, a mere 4 ½ hours from here. This remarkable region has an amazing history and is recognized for its natural wonders ~ including the WORLD’s oldest trees. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is pleased to announce their first all-inclusive natural history bus adventure to this area in more than 20 years. A trip such as this gives participants a rare opportunity to witness firsthand the botanical and geological transformation of the region as the group ascends from 4,000 to 10,000 feet. There are dramatic changes to the flora as the elevation increases along with many historic locations and spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada range. Visits to the ghost town of Bodie, mining town of Randsburg, the notable town of Independence, along with the Maturango and Eastern California Museums and Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center near Lone Pine will give the group a sense of the long and storied history of the region. The trip from Santa Barbara to the picturesque Owens Valley, east of the Sierras, will include stops in Bodie, Ridgecrest, Randsburg, Independence, and a special tour of the Bristlecone Pines which features the world’s oldest trees, plus exploration of Mono Lake where more than 90 species of waterbirds come to feed. The trip will be led by world renowned geologist, Tanya Atwater, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Geology and Tectonics at UCSB and SBBG Herbarium Curator and Botanist Steve Junak. Participants will depart from Santa Barbara in a 32-passenger bus on Tuesday, July 31 and stay 3 nights at the Creekside Inn in Bishop, California. The bus will return to Santa Barbara on Friday, August 3. The cost for this trip is $725 for SBBG members (double occupancy); $850 for non-members (double occupancy). The trip cost includes the bus charter, 3 nights at the Creekside Inn in Bishop (double occupancy), 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and all entry fees. For registration please call 805-682-4726 x 102 or go to www.sbbg.org under “classes.” The registration deadline for this trip is July 13th. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Email   Website

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden announced the launch of "Blue Star Museums," a collaboration among the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,500 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2012. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. “We are pleased to participate in the Blue Star program and offer free admission to the brave men and women of the military,” said SBBG’s Executive Director, Dr. Steve Windhager. “It is a small token of our appreciation to the unselfish service personnel and their families for the personal sacrifices they make for our country.” This year, more than 1,500 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 300 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved the partnership efforts of the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 70 children’s museums. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is among this year’s newest participants including the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, VA, the Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, NM, the Botanical Garden in Cleveland, OH, the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, CA, the Menil Collection in Houston, TX, and the World Figure Skating Museum & Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, CO. “Through Blue Star Museums, the arts community is extending a special invitation to military families to enjoy over 1,500 museums this summer,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “This is both an opportunity to thank military families for their service and sacrifice, as well as a chance to create connections between museums and these families that will continue throughout the year. Especially for families with limited time together, those on a limited budget, and ones that have to relocate frequently, Blue Star Museums offers an opportunity to enjoy one another and become more fully integrated into a community.” This is the latest NEA program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience; Great American Voices Military Base Tour; and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour. “As we enter the third consecutive year of the Blue Star Museums program, we are happy provide an opportunity for our nation’s service members and their families to connect with our national treasures,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,500 museums across the United States, military families have an unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”  Email   Website

As part of our “Summer Art in the Garden” program, the critically-acclaimed, New York-based ensemble, Rose & the Nightingale, will perform their “Spirit of the Garden” program. This performance, which will take place amidst the fully-blooming wildflowers of the Meadow Section, features a genre-bending blend of classical and world music, jazz, spoken word and poetry – all with a garden-inspired theme. The concert also includes a special Opening Reception and preview of the Garden’s 90-day art installation of ten stained glass-on-glass original works themed with California landscapes and native plants by sculptor, Kathleen Crocetti. Tickets for this very special event are limited to just 80, cost $135, include plentiful hors d’oeuvres and local wines and are available by calling 805-682-4726 ext. 102. Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Email   Website

Spring is just beginning with the late rains bringing moisture to the soil. Now is the time for home gardeners to work overtime to catch up with nature’s bounty. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden offers a terrific range of more than 5,000 California native plants that are conservation-wise and drought-tolerant along with many other interesting additions for local gardens as the season warms. Come and enjoy shopping all throughout the month of April as the Garden’s courtyard is transformed into a botanical wonderland stocked with fascinating plants from growers across the state, with many grown locally right here at the Botanic Garden. As an added bonus, take advantage of expert planting advice from the Garden’s staff. “Part of our mission here at the Garden is to inform the public about the benefits of using native plants in their own gardens,” said Bruce Reed, SBBG’s Nursery Manager. “Our Spring Plant Sale provides the community with the opportunity to discover these plants and to bring them home where they can flourish.” From Abutilon to Zauschneria, visitors can find a wealth of California flora in one place. All proceeds support the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Horticulture Department. The Public Sale begins Saturday, March 31st at 10 am! Garden Members: Friday, March 30th only -- Members will enjoy an extra 5% off on all plant purchases. Shop early and receive 15% off at the register! Venue: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  Website

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Announces Natural History Cruise at Cachuma Lake Naturalist-Led Event Features Excellent Wildlife Viewing and Explores Local Habitats Santa Barbara, CA – Thursday, January 19, 2012 Join the staff of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden for a natural history cruise of Cachuma Lake on Thursday, February 9, 10:00am – 2:00pm. Led by Park Naturalist, Liz Gaspar, this event begins at the Neal Taylor Nature Center and discusses the rich cultural history of the area, followed by a two-hour boat cruise aboard the Osprey, a 30-passenger pontoon boat for easy wildlife viewing and exploration of the lake firsthand. Guests are sure to witness the many thriving habitats and a great variety of wildlife, birds, fish, trees, and plants. In addition, the winter season brings out resident and migratory Bald Eagles and waterfowl. Neal Taylor Nature Center is located within Cachuma Recreation Area in a picturesque old ranch house. Developed and operated by a corps of committed volunteers, it offers exhibits on the local valley and mountain environment for all ages, emphasizing hands-on exhibits to appeal to children. Established in 1988, the Nature Center was created to encourage public understanding, enjoyment, and protection of Cachuma Lake, the Upper Santa Ynez River, and the San Rafael Mountain Range Watershed. “As part of our effort to bring the Garden to the community, we have built partnerships with like-minded organizations whose missions also focus on conservation,” said SBBG’s Director of Education, Judy Sanregret. “This class will provide the public with an excellent opportunity to learn about the special habitat of Cachuma Lake and all the plants and wildlife that call it home.” Reservations must be made by January 26 and space limited to 30 people. The cost is $30 for SBBG members and $45 for non-members. All children must be four years old and older and guests are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and dress in layers. For further information or to arrange an interview with Lead Park Naturalist, Liz Gaspar or SBBG’s Director of Education, Judy Sanregret, or to request high-res photos, please contact Joni Kelly, Communications Manager, at 805-682-4726 ext. 132 or via cell at 805-886-1869. # # # # About the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: The 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  Email   Website