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At California Botanic Garden in Claremont, California native plants flourish.
California Botanic Garden is a cornerstone of the state’s conservation efforts and a leader in the cultivation of a climate-conscious culture in Southern California. Since its founding in the late 1920s by the visionary Susanna Bixby Bryant, the garden has continued to serve the community despite local and global turmoil.
After inheriting a ranch in Yorba Linda, Susanna learned about how California’s native plants were being destroyed by land development and population growth. Being one of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world and home to more native plant species than any other state in the U.S., California has extremely rich flora. In an effort to preserve this biodiversity, Susanna devoted 200 acres of her land to a native garden, consulting experts in botany as she developed what would soon become California Botanic Garden.
Susanna kept a section of the garden wild, with plants displayed together as they would grow in nature rather than the traditional arrangement of plants by relation. “Almost everybody told her that she couldn't do what she wanted to do, partly because of that wild component to it,” says the garden’s executive director, Dr. Lucinda McDade. Regardless, Susanna persisted and is quoted saying, “In the traditional feminine manner, I am going to compromise by going ahead with my original scheme.”
Susanna’s spirit of resilience permeated throughout the garden, even in the face of natural disaster. “In the ‘40s, there was a devastating Santa Ana wind-driven fire that burned and devastated part of the garden, and then in the rainy season, there was a massive mudslide flood that destroyed a bunch of the infrastructure,” Dr. McDade says. “But nonetheless, they started to work, putting it all back together.” A few years later, after Susanna’s unexpected death, her successor Philip Munn moved the garden to Claremont, where it flourishes today. Spanning 86 acres, it is the largest botanic garden dedicated to California native plants and is home to curated collections of more than 22,000 plants, including some that are rare or endangered.
Since its move, the garden has gotten more involved in its community and recommitted to its ideals. “We've acquired modern values and an understanding of what conservation is about. Human diversity is now a major part of our values that we talk about—not just plant diversity,” Dr. McDade says.
The people who love the garden were just going crazy not being able to get here and check on all their plants. That was a very interesting lesson in the importance of being here for our community and we took it to heart.
– Dr. Lucinda McDade, California Botanic Garden executive director
While remaining true to its inaugural mission to “advance knowledge, information, and appreciation of California native plants” and expanding accessibility to all, the garden has started hosting community events in Claremont and even offers a graduate program in partnership with Claremont Graduate University. Events such as nature walks, gardening classes, and plant sales help participants build personal connections with the native plants as they learn more about them, and the graduate program allows students to expand their knowledge and gain hands-on experience in botany.
Like most institutions, the garden shut down in 2020 to abide by COVID-19 guidelines. Soon after it closed, though, health officials started encouraging outdoor activities as a safe option, and once again, the garden adapted. “I and my staff really focused on trying to prepare to open for people as soon as possible because people were going crazy at that time—nothing to do, no place to go,” Dr. McDade says. She and her staff even worked to widen the entrance path to the garden so visitors could maintain a safe social distance at all times.
“We opened, and it was a really terrific service to our community. We had lots of visitors. Our membership rates went up, and people just really appreciated our determination to be here for them,” Dr. McDade says. “The people who love the garden were just going crazy not being able to get here and check on all their plants. That was a very interesting lesson in the importance of being here for our community, and we took it to heart.”
California Botanic Garden, located at 1500 N. College Ave. in Claremont, is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. One-day tickets and memberships are available on their website. Visitors can purchase one-day tickets that range from $4 to $10, depending on age, or choose from four different membership packages.
Check out the garden’s events calendar for their public programs and classes, submit a volunteer application for service opportunities, or support the garden with a donation.
