The Botanical Garden of the University of California

The University of California, Riverside is highly known for its incredible Bell Tower, but while the Bell Tower is a great site the campus offers a one of a kind Botanical Garden. The Botanical Garden has been around since the 1960’s and till this day is always improving. The Botanical Garden welcomes people to experience its blooming flowers, hiking trails, plants, and wildlife. While the Botanical Garden offers a beautiful sight it also serves other purposes, to serve the community by contributing to research for the university, volunteer options, and fundraisers to benefit the university’s programs.

Located in the eastern foothills of the Box Springs Mountains on Botanic Gardens Drive, Riverside, it is home to around 3,500 different species of plants from around the world, 200 different bird species and other types of wildlife. Parking for visitors is fairly cheap, an hour costing around a dollar, while for people who enjoy walking, their experience is free. While the garden was established for education purposes, it has become a popular place for visitors, from frequent students to people from across the state who want to admire and take pictures of such a beautiful place. The Botanical Garden ranges from over 10,000 plants that vary from roses to sunflowers. Four miles of trails in which one is able to reach the Horticultural Collections that varies from the Alder Canyon, Rose Gardens, Herb Garden, Lilac Lane and the Subtropical Fruit Orchards. The forty acres that the Garden consists of may end up taking you to Geographical Collections such as the South African Garden, the Southwest Deserts Section, the Sierra Foothills Section, the Boysie Day Baja Calif, Garden, the Australian Section as well as the Temperate Deciduous Forest and many more.

The Garden also offers other features such as the Geodesic Lath Dome, the Hiking Trails, Plant Families Comparative Collection and the pond. During the four seasons one can experience the garden in a new perspective due to different plants, animals, and flowers in bloom. The Botanical Gardens innovations tend to make the place look different season after season, which influences its popularity in the photography community. The Botanical Garden came to be after the establishment of the College of Letters and Science in 1954 when a staff of the new college, Professor Victor H. Goodman, a botanist and educator raised concerns on the lack of knowledge he had of western plants due to being raised in Missouri. His concerns grew as he knew that without a bbotanic garden close by his research and education programs would lack certain information. He soon proposed the idea of a bbotanical garden in 1954 and in 1962 funds were finally given to begin the development of what was once known as the “Life Sciences Experimental Area”.

Dr. Vasek was appointed as the first director in 1962, in which he oversaw the first plantings until 1967. Many others over the years were in charge of the construction and plantation of the garden but as stated on the UCR Botanic Garden website, “A number of important improvements were made to the Gardens during Dr. Gillette's charge, including asphalting the main drive and constructing several bridges, the pond, and the office and garage” (About us, History). Dr. George Gillet headed the garden from 1967 to 1973, in which the “Life Sciences Experimental Area” became the UCR Botanical Gardens. As time progressed so did the Botanical Garden and is still progressing till this day. The Botanical Garden was established for educational purposes in which courses offered on campus can help themselves to plant materials for research or other programs. Courses such as biology, botany, ecology, entomology, landscape plants and many others as well as other campuses who receive their research materials from the garden. According to the website UCR Botanic Gardens:

The Gardens also provides plant materials for various research projects and serves to test and exhibit plant species introduced from all parts of the world. The variable terrain and Riverside's subtropical climate create numerous 'micro-climates' which allow for the notable diversity of plantings. This wealth of vegetation creates a hospitable sanctuary for wildlife, where nearly 200 bird species have been officially observed. (Garden Features) While the Botanical Gardens is used for research and to help students it also has other purposes, such as: Room rentals, in with the gardens conference room, patio and the lawn area are available to rent for meetings.

The garden is used the whole year for variety of events from Spring and Fall plant sales to volunteer orientations, rose pruning in which students as well as the public are able to join and help. A popular attraction at the garden is “Bird Walk Breakfast” hosted each spring and fall in which the public is welcomed to a two-hour bird walk followed by continental- style breakfast. Fundraisers are also hosted at the Botanical Garden, known as “Primavera, Wine & Food Tasting” takes place on May 20th annually in which people are welcomed to enjoy wine, craft beer and many appetizers. These programs tend to bring the communities on campus and off campus closer, seeing that as the years pass by the events tend to receive more people than the years before According to an interview I conducted with my Resident Advisor, Hawk Anderson, a third-year student, explained how the Botanical Garden has multiple sentimental values for many students as well as workers. People come up to the garden to relieve stress, to clear their mind or just to be alone. Others come with loved ones, on dates, for picnics or just to explore and have fun. Families bring their children with the security of letting them roam around because they know the gardens are a safe place. As he stated, “I guess one of the few reasons why the Botanical Garden matters is as they say a place for students to escape to, it’s very quiet, it takes you away from the busy environment on campus. They also have a lot of workshops where you can like build your own succulent and sometimes they sell plants. It’s one of the few places on campus where you can be by yourself or with people and socialize. My reason for going often is usually the aspect of getting away from all the noise, you can go to the botanical gardens and it’s silent, so it helps me calm down or rises my spiritsits whenever its midterm week or if I’m just having a rough day”.

As the interview proceeded I decided to ask why the Botanical Gardens matters to the campus in which Hawk replied, “Well for the campus its self it is important because it’s something they can advertise it’s another aspect as to why our campus is better than other campuses, like we have a Botanical Garden, do you? But for students specifically it’s just another place for students to go to, it’s another social aspect it’s another way for students to also get a job, they offer jobs to students on campus, they have activities as well as events. On a gram scheme of things, it makes the university look better but it also gives students the access to do more things.” As I ended the interview I realized that even though the Botanical Garden seems like such an insignificant space, many campuses around the state don’t have the privilege of experiencing nature or having a place to go to whenever they want to get away. The Botanical Garden serves a variety of purposes from fundraisers to the simple joy of just getting away. Its purpose originally being for research has expanded to help other in need such as students, professors, workers, locals, and children. I personally enjoy the Botanical Gardens; the aroma of the roses, sitting down on the numerous benches around the park and just hiking up its hills help me relax and feel at ease. The Botanical Gardens devotes all of its resources to help out in any way possible by just existing.