2024 Press Releases

August 2024

Internationally Acclaimed Lightscape Announces Return to San Diego Botanic Garden for 2024

Lightscape will return for its third year to the 37-acre San Diego Botanic Garden from November 15 through January 5. Spanning one mile, the enchanting illuminated trail has been reinvigorated to feature spectacular sights with brand-new eye-catching artistic installations from international artists, along with some returning favorites from previous years that come alive at night with color, imagination, and sound. Read more…

June 2024

San Diego Botanic Garden Hosts Medicinal Plants Research Symposium to Bridge Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science and Invigorate Local Collaboration San Diego Botanic Garden Launches Smartphone App with Medicinal Plant Self-Guided Tour

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) announces the launch of its first smartphone app designed to help visitors find their way around the Garden’s 37-acres and deepen their connection with SDBG’s medicinal plant collection through a self-guided tour. Read more…

March 2024

San Diego Botanic Garden Hosts Medicinal Plants Research Symposium to Bridge Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science and Invigorate Local Collaborations

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) hosted its first Medicinal Plants Research Symposium on February 27, bringing together leading researchers from academia, industry and nonprofits, along with tribal governments and other community partners to celebrate accomplishments from the first phase of its collaborative Medicinal Plants Project and look ahead at the future of medicinal plants research.  Read more…

February 2024

4th Annual “World of Orchids” Returns to San Diego Botanic Garden, May 4-27

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) announces the return of its fourth annual spring showcase, World of Orchids, running Saturday, May 4 through Monday, May 27. The exhibition will be staged in the Garden’s state-of-the-art, 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed facility, the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory. World of Orchids is curated by SDBG’s highly awarded Artist-in-Residence, René van Rems, AIFD, who serves as Creative Director for the exhibition. Read more…

February 2024

Funds Awarded to 26 Urban Agriculture Projects Led by Public Gardens and Community Partners

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and American Public Gardens Association (Association) are awarding support to 26 public gardens and their community partners, including San Diego Botanic Garden and Healthy Day Partners. The 26 awards total $445,600 in support for public garden partnerships across the United States that will foster public engagement and education in urban food growing and build capacity in urban agriculture programs. The Urban Agriculture Resilience Program aims to strengthen collaborations, promote resilience, and gather best practices from across the U.S. Read more…

January 2024

Gardens Collaborate to Diversify STEM Workforce and Mentor the Next Generation of Scientists

Four public gardens, including Atlanta Botanical Garden, California Botanic Garden, San Diego Botanic Garden, and The Morton Arboretum, are collaborating to diversify the STEM workforce through a paid training and mentorship program for individuals who have completed a bachelor’s degree. Now in its second year, the Rare Plant RaMP (Research & Mentoring for Post-baccalaureates in Biological Sciences) network was developed to investigate the unprecedented global decline of plant biodiversity while also broadening the experience of individuals who were not able to participate extensively in research during their undergraduate studies. Read more…

2023 Press Releases

August 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden Announces Second Round of Community Outreach Program “Access Afternoons”

San Diego Botanic Garden announces its second round of Access Afternoons, a community outreach project that welcomes new audiences to the Garden, through funding awarded by the City of Encinitas. From September 2023 through February 2024 SDBG will partner with the Community Resource Center (CRC) to host group tours and various activities for CRC individuals and families in need.  Read more…

August 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden Hosts The Garden Party Annual Fundraiser on September 9

San Diego Botanic Garden presents The Garden Party, its annual fundraiser on Saturday, September 9 from 4pm-8pm. As SDBG’s largest fundraising event, proceeds from the evening will go towards supporting critical science, conservation and education programs that impact the Garden and beyond. This event will also honor Dr. Ruth Kobayashi with the 2023 Paul Ecke Jr. Award of Excellence. Read more…

August 2023

Internationally Acclaimed Lightscape Announces Return to San Diego Botanic Garden, Reimagined for 2023

Lightscape will return for its second year to the 37-acre San Diego Botanic Garden from November 17 through January 1. The enchanting, after-dark, illuminated trail has been reimagined and will span one mile and feature spectacular sights with brand-new eye-catching artistic installations from international artists that come alive at night with color, imagination, and sound. Read more…

July 20, 2023

Seedling Grown from Atomic Bomb Survivor Tree Planted at San Diego Botanic Garden

This August, San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) joins in partnership and unity with Green Legacy Hiroshima (GLH) Initiative to dedicate a newly planted ginkgo tree descended from a mother tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan more than 70 years ago. The Survivor Tree Commemoration will take place at the Garden on Saturday, August 5 at 4:15 p.m., corresponding to the exact time in Pacific Standard Time that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The ceremonial event will also include guest speakers as well as a community wish writing activity for attendees to participate in. Read more…

June 14, 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden Awarded $10,000 Grant from Cox Charities to Support STEM Education, Conservation, and Sustainability

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) was one of 10 San Diego County nonprofit organizations to receive a $10,000 grant by Cox Charities, which awarded a total of $100,000 in grants for local programs focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education, conservation and sustainability, and military and veterans. The vital funding will support SDBG’s Scholarships for Title I Schools initiative aimed at engaging more than 600 public elementary school students across San Diego County in Transitional Kindergarten through fourth grade. Read more…

May 15 2023

Botanic Gardens Collaborate to Mentor Next Generation of Scientist San Diego Botanic Garden Ushers in Summer Season with Concert Series Reprise and Major Exhibition Announcement

San Diego Botanic Garden is beckoning locals and travelers alike with a summer lineup featuring a fresh slate of events. The fan-favorite Summer Nights (July 13 – August 17, 2023) will be returning on select Thursdays and feature extended hours until 8 p.m., concerts, special events, along with specialty food and drink packages. The traveling exhibition, Savage Gardens, will run from July 1 through October 29 and spotlight carnivorous plants in the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory along with large-scale artistic installations. All of this will be in addition to SDBG’s regular calendar of classes and activities  Read more…

January 25, 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden Announces Return of Colorful World of Orchids Display Beginning March 11, 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) is set to host the third annual spring orchid showcase, World of Orchids, running Saturday, March 11 through Sunday, April 9, 2023. The exhibition will be staged in the state-of-the-art, 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed facility, the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory, by SDBG’s highly awarded Artist-in-Residence, René van Rems, AIFD, who serves as Creative Director for the exhibit for the third year in a row. Admission to World of Orchids is included with the purchase of a one-day ticket or an annual membership. Read more…

January 11, 2023

San Diego Botanic Garden Plants 100 Rare and Native Oak Trees with Students from Ocean Knoll Elementary in Encinitas

As part of the Ocean Knoll Oak Restoration Planting Project, San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) invited more than 300 Ocean Knoll Elementary students to help plant 100 native oak trees throughout Ocean Knoll Canyon in Encinitas. Read more…

2022 Press Releases

July 20, 2022

Internationally Acclaimed ‘Lightscape’ Coming to San Diego Botanic Garden For 2022 Holiday Season

From November 18 through January 1, Lightscape will illuminate evenings at the Garden with more than one million holiday lights, tunnels, fire, sculptures and artistic installations throughout a spectacular one-mile winding walking trail. Read more…

June 22, 2022

SDBG to Debut “World of Houseplants” as Summer Exhibition

San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) opens its highly anticipated World of Houseplants show on Saturday, July 16. Read more…

May 13, 2022

Fifty years of conserving traditional crop diversity a success, but some crops still lack protection

A new study published this week by Nature and co-authored by San Diego Botanic Garden’s Senior Director of Science and Conservation shows that a half-century of plant conservation in genebanks has been a major success for many crops. Read more…

March 10, 2022

SDBG Expands Access to More Diverse Audiences through Federal Grant

Last month, San Diego Botanic Garden launched Access Afternoons, a community outreach project that welcomes new audiences to the Garden through funding the organization was awarded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read more…

March 8, 2022

SDBG to Create a National Medicinal Plants Collection and Research Consortium

Last week, San Diego Botanic Garden launched a national medicinal plants collection and research consortium, made possible by a $384,000 grant from The Conrad Prebys Foundation. Read more…

February 16, 2022

SDBG Announces Bloom of Voodoo Lily, Smaller “Cousin” of the Corpse Flower

San Diego Botanic Garden announced yesterday that a konjac plant – a smaller, but still impressive relative of the corpse plant – is blooming in its Dickinson Family Education Conservatory. Read more…

January 25, 2022

SDBG Celebrates Love, Friendship, and Plants with Plants & Romance Evenings on Weekend before Valentine’s Day

San Diego Botanic Garden invites visitors to take part in a lovely mid-February evening experience, Plants & Romance, with their Valentines, family, and friends. Read more...

2021 Press Releases

December 1, 2021

Deck the Halls with SDBG’s Annual Botanic Wonderland, Beginning Dec. 4

San Diego Botanic Garden once again transforms its garden into a twinkling, holiday oasis, as Botanic Wonderland returns Dec 4-5, Dec. 10-23 and Dec. 26-30. Read more…

October 31, 2021

SDBG’s Rare Corpse Flower Blooms on Halloween Night

The San Diego Botanic Garden, a 37-acre urban oasis in north San Diego County, this afternoon announced its rare corpse flower is now in coming into full bloom on Halloween night. Read more…

October 15, 2021

SDBG Prepares for Corpse Flower Bloom in Late October

San Diego Botanic Garden expects one of its corpse plants to bloom later this month, contributing to the anticipation for its Fall Festival, which starts Saturday, October 23, and runs through Halloween and Day of the Dead. Read more…

October 5, 2021

SDBG Approved for Coastal Conservancy Grant to Enhance and Restore Ocean Knoll Canyon

Last month, the California State Coastal Conservancy approved a grant of up to $200,000 to San Diego Botanic Garden to enhance and restore more than half of Ocean Knoll Canyon, an important section of the Cottonwood Creek Watershed in the City of Encinitas. Read more…

October 5, 2021

SDBG Premieres Fall Festival/Festival de Otoño

The San Diego Botanic Garden today announced its Fall Festival/Festival de Otoño Event, open to the public from Saturday, Oct. 23rd through Monday, Nov. 1. Read more…

September 9, 2021

New Augmented Reality Exhibition ‘Seeing the Invisible’ to Premiere at SDBG September 24

Featuring AR Works by international artists and premiering simultaneously across the globe

The most ambitious and expansive exhibition to date of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality technology will premiere across 12 gardens in six countries simultaneously in September 2021, including the San Diego Botanic Garden. Read more…

August 24, 2021

SDBG “World of Bromeliads” Exhibition Now Open

With the rise in popularity of house plants, this San Diego Botanic Garden exhibition shows off one of the most popular plants, the bromeliad. Read more…

April 21, 2021

County Celebrates San Diego Botanic Garden Day

The County of San Diego will honor San Diego Botanic Garden on Saturday, April 24, for “outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to environmental stewardship” by celebrating “San Diego Botanic Garden Day” throughout the County. Read more…

March 29, 2021

SDBG opens month-long World of Orchids show this weekend

San Diego Botanic Garden will host its first annual spring orchid showcase, World of Orchids, from Saturday, April 3 through Sunday, May 2. The exhibit, which kicks off Easter weekend, will be staged in the Garden’s state-of-the-art, 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed facility – the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory… Read more…

March 23, 2021

San Diego Botanic Garden wins Environmental Award

San Diego Botanic Garden is honored to be named a 2020 winner of the City of Encinitas Environmental Commission’s prestigious Environmental Award Program.  Read more…

February 16, 2021

Wild and Beautiful: Artist Alliance Sculpture Exhibit at San Diego Botanic Garden

February 16 – August 1

It is with great pleasure that San Diego Botanic Garden, in partnership with Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance, presents the Wild and Beautiful sculpture exhibition. Read more…