Get into the Garden!

Atop College Avenue in Claremont sits an 86-acre oasis:  Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.  Also known as “California’s Native Garden,”  Rancho is the state’s largest garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants.  Visitors attracted to the Garden’s peaceful atmosphere and meandering  paths quickly discover that it’s also home to a host of activities, including conservation, community education and events, and a prestigious botany  research and graduate program.  A  typical weekend at the Garden finds families and kids of all ages exploring the winding  trails and the Garden Shop. 86 acres of native plants also attract a wide variety of native wildlife, from pollinating insects to California grey squirrels, bobcats, great horned owls and other birds.    “Rancho is my destination for serenity,” says longtime visitor Taylor Inglebretson.  Visitors to the Garden may also glimpse couples exchanging vows and celebrating other special occasions, or instructors leading classes through the plant communities.

But the experience doesn’t have to end there.  “What you see on a stroll  through the Garden is just the tip of the iceberg,”  says Visitor Services staffer Krista Von Stetten.  “there’s a huge amount of activity  going on  here 7 days a week!”  Teachers, artists, and nature enthusiasts come from all over the Southland to tap into the earth-friendly knowledge in  Rancho’s community education classes and walking  tours.    Weekdays feature student and faculty researchers hard at work in the Library and Herbarium, and the Garden’s  Nursery and Horticulture teams working on garden upkeep and  improvements. Education staff and volunteers are kept busy with school  tours and  programs.

The outdoor learning experience can be transformative for students of all ages.  “Being out in the Garden engages ALL their senses, and they start to see and feel what California is really like, in ways you can’t get from only books and pictures.”  explains Education staffer Judy Hayami.  Cal Poly Pomona professor Sara Garver agrees. “My students really came alive when I brought them over here for a field study session. They were like a whole different class!”  What kind of magic will the Garden work on you?  Take a stroll and find out.

For more information about  upcoming events and classes,
or to book tours or event facilities,
call 909.625.8767 xt 0
or visit RSABG’s website:  www.rsabg.org

Upcoming Events at the Garden:
Sunday, Feb 17: Winter Bird Festival
Sunday, March 2: Arbor Day Celebration
Saturdays and Sundays, March 23 thru May 18:  Spring Garden Walks
Sunday, May 4: Annual Fundraiser “Garden with a View”
Sunday, May 11: Mother’s Day Brunch
Saturday, May 17: Evening at the Oasis family adventure
Sunday, June 15: Father’s Day Bar-B-Que
Thursdays, July 10- August 14:  Musical Evenings in the Garden
…and much more!

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is open 8-5 daily, with a few exceptions for holidays.
Garden admission is by voluntary donation throughout the year, with an event fee for selected special events.