The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden welcomes the community to celebrate the unveiling of our Donor Wall on Friday, May 13, from 4 to 5 p.m. There will be a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to mark the milestone in the Garden’s history as we realize the completion of the Education Center project. Construction began in 2004 by the Cuesta College Construction Technology Department as well as outside contractors. The building was built to Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for a “green” public building. A model of resource conservation, it demonstrates the best practices for conserving water and energy, insulated straw bale walls, nontoxic materials, and a demonstration onsite wastewater treatment system. In 2021, the Garden received a generous grant from the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust to complete the site work around the building, which includes a rainwater storage tank on the hill in the Chilean Wine Palm Grove. Rainwater from the Education Center roof is collected and pumped up the hill to a new 5,000-gallon tank. The completion of the concrete work and other improvements make the Garden more accessible to more visitors as well as making the area surrounding the Education Center more attractive for weddings, events, celebrations, and programs. We will honor the major donors who contributed to the project with the unveiling of our Donor Wall from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2022.
Following the ribbon cutting, there will be light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres on the Garden Terrace. The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is planning additional improvements including new recreational features in the next few years. We rely on the support of Garden visitors, members, donors, and volunteers to support the mission of honoring and preserving our connections with nature. Please consider buying a membership, commemorative tile, or a picket to support the Garden. Donations can be made online at slobg.org or at the Garden.