Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Growing up in Texas, I remember the days of running along the local creek with my friends on hot summer days. We would explore for hours, building tree houses and catching fish, crawfish, and the occasional snake — losing all track of time. It wasn’t until one of us was hollered home for dinner that we would have to disband. It was there that I discovered the importance of identifying plants — most specifically poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) — and how that could ruin a perfect location for a tree house! But more than that, I loved discovering the abundant life in the area and trying to learn where these animals lived and what they ate. This is where my love of the natural world began to grow. I have heard from many longtime residents of Santa Barbara that the Garden was a similar place for them when they were growing up, but at some point, that carefree child-directed exploration ceased to be a component of the Garden. I have wanted to bring that back to the Garden since I arrived over 11 years ago, and with the opening of the Backcountry that dream finally became a reality in 2022 thanks to our community of donors, staff, partners, and supporters. – Steve Windhager, Executive Director