This garden is a great place to visit and revisit as it is constantly changing and improving! They have just recently started charging admission - $5/adult and I think it's about time! And it's a great deal for the nice trails, display gardens, and beautifully planted beds. I was told, volunteers do all the maintenance and development and was blow away at the dedication and quality of work to maintain and grow the garden now in existence for over 30 years. I'm excited to visit again soon!
This garden is tucked away in a great part of SLO county, and is open and inviting to guests near and far. Though only a small portion of their 150 acres is currently developed, this site has great trails for further enhancing the outdoor experience. I personally enjoy walking the undeveloped portions of the garden, and enjoy strolling through the current Preview, Fire-Safe, and Children's garden areas.
Having been a part of the Planning Committee in recent months, I know the potential this Botanical Garden has, and am excited to see it grow in the coming years. With a strong vision and dedicated team of volunteers and donors, this garden will be world-class, showcasing the best of local histories, education, and mediterranean flora.
I am constantly surprised by the energy and passion members and visitors of the garden exude. There are so many facets of the organization that people can get involved in depending on their interest, including propagation, kids education programs, work days, etc. One of the more impressive aspects of the garden is the encouragement of innovation and experimentation in sustainability (such as the cutting edge wastewater system, and the passive solar straw-bale headquarters). The garden is a living example of what we should be striving for as a society.
SLOBG is awesome! They provided great opportunities for self-development in a transitional time, and I couldn't have grown into the person I am now without their care.
I love the SLO Botanical Garden. The garden provides great examples of the beauty of Mediterranean and California plants that thrive in our climate with very little water. The staff give close attention to the plants and to teaching others about them. They are also forward thinking and planning to make the garden even better in the future.
Thirty years ago, I donated six, five-gallon Cercis occidentalis to this fledgling little botanical garden. I had been a student at Cal Poly in the late 70's and was then working as a landscape estimator for a large company in Canoga Park. A friend of mine owned a nursery and have me the trees for my birthday that year. I had no yard to plant them in and immediately thought of the SLOBotanical Garden.
They graciously accepted the trees and from what I've heard, one of the trees has survived and is doing well next to the old amphitheatre.
Thank you, SLO Botanical Garden!
I have been a volunteer at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden for over 20 years and it has been a pleasure throughout no matter the job at hand. It's such a beautiful place. I love watching the plants over the seasons and the wildlife it attracts. I'm excited about the future plans for the expansion of the Botanical Garden, its approach as an ecosystem where plants and wildlife coexist. The Botanical Garden is also people space where all are welcome and where many new friendships have developed among our volunteers. I am very grateful to be a part of it.
I found out about San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden in January, and that was right when I was taking Plant Taxonomy at my university so my interest for plants was increasing exponentially. I love the volunteer days we held there to restore our garden with native plants because everyone is so positive around plants. When I ran into the plants and civilization section that explained how the native Chumash people and California's native plants intertwined, I was so amazed with everything they had utilized. This garden has the power to overcome my mental block with school and restores my high spirits back.
A true gem on California's Central Coast, the SLO Botanical Garden is an experience like no other. Filled with a diverse array of plants from mediterranean climate zones, the garden provides a unique opportunity to foster and preserve connections with nature. With the support of generous donors, the garden has maintained its status as a treasured educational and recreational resource for over 30 years. The SLO Botanical Garden is a place for locals and tourists alike to find peace and a deeper appreciation for nature.
The volunteer community at the SLO Botanical Garden is like a second family. I have made so many lifelong friendships through this organization and truly appreciate their mission and dedication to honor and preserve our connection with nature. I am always amazed by how much is accomplished by all the volunteers with little staff oversight needed. All of us volunteers care and love for the garden so much and look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years. I feel like I first came for the garden to connect with nature but continue to stay for the community and people I have connected with along the way.