Tag archives: botanic garden
Each month, the magnificent Montecito garden expresses its appreciation of the community by offering a limited number of half-price tickets exclusively for Santa Barbara County residents. Reservations open for the year’s first batch of these Community Access Tickets on Lotusland’s events page January 20. If you’re hankering to do more than just look at the […]
On Saturday, Jan. 17, from 3-4 pm, Montecito’s storied Tecolote Bookshop, now entering its 101st year of operation, will host a book launch and reading by local author Fran Davis of her historical fiction novel Red Summer. A tale of love, betrayal, and revenge in the McCarthy era, the novel portrays a small California town […]
The Montecito Fire Protection District is taking applications for a Fire Chief. Responsibilities and job requirements are posted on the website, see 411. 411: www.montecitofire.com/fire-chief Carp-Summerland FPD Chief Retires The Carp-Summerland Fire Protection District announced the retirement of Fire Chief Robert Kovach, who has served 15 years with them for a total of 40 years […]
The Mesa Artist Studio Tour reaches of-age status with its 21st annual event, a much more compact and community-focused little sibling to the Santa Barbara Studio Artists Tour every Labor Day weekend. Just eight studios encompass the tour around the neighborhood, although two are the site of two artists, meaning a more intimate and personal […]
The Montecito Trails Foundation is collaborating with the Summerland Citizens Association, along with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, to restore the Greenwell Preserve to its natural habitat. The Greenwell Preserve is located at Greenwell Road and Asegra Road, Summerland. The property is owned and managed by the State Coastal Conservancy who is responsible for the […]
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s 12th Annual Conservation Symposium, titled “Seeds of Change: Conservation Through Diversity,” will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at the Santa Barbara County Education Auditorium, and online. It is presented by the Nakashima-Rennie Family and sponsored by S&S Seeds. Two keynotes will be guest presenter and symposium honoree Peggy […]
On Friday, November 8, I’m just off the phone with the Santa Barbara’s Botanic Garden about their new panoramic view Tipton Trail, to be officially launched for public use on November 17 in collaboration with National Take a Hike Day. In addition, it will be a free admission day at the SB Botanic Garden, but […]
Call for Black Fashion Designers for Black is Beautiful 2025 Gala Healing Justice Santa Barbara’s 2nd Annual Black is Beautiful Gala will feature local Black Fashion Designers in support of the gala’s 2025 theme, “Beauty Through the Decades.” The event is scheduled for February 22, at the SB Hilton Beachfront Resort. The program is hosted […]
Crossing Encephalartos horridus with Encephalartos woodii might sound like the formula for developing the world’s next deadly disease. But horticulturalists will realize that it’s actually a unique cycad hybrid – one that results in super spiny and glossy green leaves. The Lotusland-created specimen will be among the hundreds of rare and specimen plants available at […]
Romance was definitely in the air when Lotusland, the 37-acre Montecito botanical paradise, hosted a Valentine’s Day event for 25 couples, one of whom was enjoying their 51st big day together. The tony twosomes quaffed flutes of champagne and enjoyed the self-guided tour of the exquisite gardens accompanied by flamenco-Latino music from Santa Barbara guitarist […]
Cue the fanfare! LotusFest is coming back to Lotusland, the spectacular public gardens nestled in the Cold Spring neighborhood of Montecito. The Saturday, September 16, afternoon affair represents the post-pandemic return of the event, which provides an opportunity to enjoy a treasured wine-and-beer affair ensconced in the lush green lawns surrounded by a wonderland of […]
Lotusland, the 37-acre botanical paradise just a tiara’s toss from Westmont College, goes from strength to strength even though visitor numbers to the former estate of Polish opera legend Ganna Walska are limited to 20,000 visitors annually, including 5,000 guests for educational programs. Treasurer Stephen Schaible told the annual meeting held in the charming Theatre […]
Lotusland, the 37-acre botanical paradise founded by opera singer Ganna Walska, was doing everything by the book when it launched a 288-page coffee table tome titled Lotusland: Eccentric Garden Paradise with a lavish lunch bash for 280 guests at the weekend. The Rizzoli publication, beautifully photographed by Lisa Romerein, is intended to share the beauty […]
From April 21 to June 27, 2021, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will welcome Canada-born artist Libby Holland as its first-ever Artist in Residence. For eight weeks, Holland will immerse herself in the garden’s native plantings for an exploration of “blooming where you’re planted and allowing yourself to be free” with her collection “Grow Wild.” […]
Just like nearly every place in town, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden closed for two months during the first phase of the stay-at-home orders designed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic last spring. But then the county decided that the Garden was an essential service. Which, to anyone who has ever visited the 78-acre site that blends […]
Gwen Stauffer’s eleven-year stewardship of Lotusland will be remembered by many achievements, most recently the completion of Lotusland’s Japanese Garden renovation. Lotusland’s Board of Trustees has named Rebecca Anderson, currently the Garden’s Director of Philanthropy, as Lotusland’s Interim Executive Director. “We are all very excited to have Rebecca help lead the organization moving forward,” said […]
Since being established in 1926, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG), has become a pillar of our community. Whether it was one of the garden’s many school programs, or just a visit with the family, many of us have childhood memories of the space. From the majestic redwood grove to the sprawling meadow, these enchanting […]
“Lotusland was created by Polish opera singer Madame Ganna Walska, and visitors should prepare themselves for the ultimate theatrical garden experience. Perhaps only in the climate and culture of Southern California could such a creation have been conceived and accepted, a fantasy of remarkable set-pieces of design and planting quite unlike any other garden.” The […]
Lotusland, the late opera singer Ganna Walska’s 37-acre botanical paradise, has just completed the biggest project in its history with the $6 million two and a half year renovation of the one and a half acre Japanese Garden. The massive project, designed in conjunction with Lotusland CEO Gwen Stauffer, Derrik Eichelberger of Arcadia Studio, and […]
It is difficult to decide whether to laugh or cry at a recent judge’s ruling denying the U.S. government’s right to use the census to count the number of U.S. citizens. Laughing because it is deceivers’ dream to have every action of this presidential administration – including masking the difference between citizens and illegals – […]
