San Francisco Botanical Garden
Nestled inside Golden Gate Park is San Francisco Botanical Garden, a diverse garden that houses a bountiful variety of plants. San Francisco’s mild Mediterranean climate provides the Botanical Garden the right conditions to grow and conserve plants from all over the world, including plants that are no longer found in their native habitats. Within the garden, there are 55 acres of sanctuary - landscaped gardens and open spaces, which include 7500 varieties of plants from around the world!

But it’s one of the Garden’s most recent additions that is really catching the public’s attention: The Primitive Garden. This otherworldly exhibit is home to Australian tree ferns, wild ginko trees and Norfolk Island Pines, all set amongst a wild and exotic plethora of other ancient plants.

Plants in the Primitive Garden have adapted and evolved over time, though some so closely resemble extinct relatives that they are often called "living fossils."

Representatives of most non-extinct major groups from the Plant Kingdom are represented in the garden.

The Garden’s executive director, Michael McKechnie, calls this new garden “a great place to travel the world and see plant collections from Australia and New Zealand and travel through time to see how plants developed.”

For more information about the Primitive Garden and the rest of San Francisco Botanical Garden, please visit their website.

Conservancy Announces 4th Annual Jewel of Orange County
On Friday, July 17, 2009 the Great Park Conservancy will host its annual fundraising event, the “Jewel of Orange County.” Chaired by Conservancy Director Teddie Ray, this exclusive event will take place at the Great Park Balloon Park beginning with a hosted reception with cocktails and delicious wines and hors d’ oeuvres held inside an original base hangar, followed by a locally produced, organically grown mesquite grilled dinner. After dinner concert and dancing under the stars to a cool jazz blend of rhythm & blues by local artist Jazzy Boy Jeff.

Preparations for the “Jewel of Orange County” have been underway for months and have included many of Orange County’s business and social elite. Committee Chairs for this year’s event include: Donald Akin, Joni Brice, Peggy Goldwater Clay, Ellen Hanson-Walker, Sheila Peterson, Janet Ray, Kathy Taylor, Rosemary Ward, Tricia Wilhelm and Lizanne Witte. Nearly fifty other Committee Members make up the dedicated team of individuals who are working diligently to support the event. Additional support is being provided by the Conservancy’s Board of Directors and Directors and staff of the OC Great Park Corporation, and Great Park Neighborhoods.

Major event sponsors include: Sheila & Jim Peterson, Teddie & Michael Ray, the David L. Horowitz Family, Janet & Walkie Ray, and the Orange County Business Bank. Additional sponsors include: Marian Bergeson, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, Joan Halvajian, and The Irvine Company. Other event donors include: HEILBrice, Inc., Valley Crest, Blue Ice Vodka, Coast Magazine, Signature Party Rentals. A special Cartier Love Bracelet donated by Cartier South Coast Plaza is our Grand Prize Opportunity Drawing.

To learn more about the 4th Annual Jewel of Orange County click here.

Posted June 29, 2009

Take the Survey and Be a Park of the Great Park Planning Process
The Conservancy has continued its work to ensure that the Botanical Garden is a priority of the Great Park. As we began to explore development of the Botanical Garden, we realized the need for a smaller garden that would preview what is being planned within the larger Botanical Garden. This preview garden — called the Conservancy Garden — will be a model Southern California garden within the Great Park.

Through the strong financial support of our Founding Garden Donors, we have begun a feasibility study for the Garden's development and are partnering with the Discovery Science Center to move the project from concept to reality. The garden is planned to be a place where students of all ages can learn about science and nature in fun and entertaining ways. Sustainable and organic garden practices, stewardship of our natural resources, environmental awareness, and home gardening will all be themes within the Conservancy Garden. It promises to be world-class in design, feature beautiful horticulture, be changeable and renewable, and tell the story of the future Botanical Garden.

As part of our feasibility study for the Conservancy Garden, we are conducting a survey that will help us in planning the best possible garden for the Orange County community. We thank you for taking the time to be a part of the Great Park planning process.

Click here to take the survey.

Posted May 6, 2009

Conservancy Announces Plans for 3rd Annual Garden Luncheon
The Conservancy is scheduling its third annual Garden Luncheon to support the Conservancy Garden at the Great Park. Please consider joining our growing list of Garden Donors by attending the luncheon on April 29, 2009 at the Shady Canyon Golf Club.

The Conservancy has continued its work to ensure that the Botanical Garden is a priority of the Great Park. As we began to explore development of the Botanical Garden, we realized the need for a smaller scale garden that would preview what is being planned within the larger Botanical Garden. This preview garden — called the Conservancy Garden — will be a model Southern California Garden within the Great Park.

Through the strong financial support of our Founding Garden Donors, we have begun a feasibility study for the Garden's development and are partnering with the Discovery Science Center to move the project from concept to reality.

The Garden is planned to be a place where students of all ages can learn about science and nature in fun and entertaining ways. Sustainable and organic garden practices, stewardship of our natural resources, environmental awareness and home gardening will all be themes within the Conservancy Garden. It promises to be world-class in design, feature beautiful horticulture, be changeable and renewable and tell the story of the future Botanical Garden.

To learn more about the third annual Garden Luncheon click here.

Posted March 27, 2009

A Place Where Inspiration Becomes Opportunity – the Orange County Great Park

In our effort to promote regional awareness for the Orange County Great Park, the Conservancy sponsored a public service announcement (PSA) that will run during intermission at the 2008-2009 Anaheim Ducks hockey games and will air on KOCE throughout 2009. Click here to view our latest PSA.

Posted November 20, 2008

Plans Unveiled for Conservancy Garden at Jewel of Orange County 2008
At our third annual Jewel of Orange County fundraising event on July 11, 2008, the Conservancy hosted 550 guests in one of the former El Toro Marine base hangars. Guests enjoyed cocktails while they browsed the silent auction of stunning jewelry. Later they enjoyed an organic, California-grown gourmet dinner all presented using recyclable products and renewable resources. A live auction representing future Conservancy programs included the Conservancy Garden, Wildlife Corridor, National Archives, Heritage Foundation, and the Great Park Community Farm. Dinner, the live auction, and entertainment by Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings were presented on the tarmac under the stars on this beautiful summer evening.

As a hallmark of the Conservancy’s progress, the event included an announcement of plans to begin work on the Conservancy Garden (see video), which is envisioned to be a source of inspiration for the larger Botanical Garden in the Great Park. This garden will be world-class in design, feature beautiful horticulture, include opportunities for learning, and be changeable and renewable. In an historic agreement between the Great Park Corporation and the Great Park Conservancy, the Conservancy is moving forward with plans to develop and operate this garden. The agreement represents a tremendous opportunity for both the Great Park Corporation and Great Park Conservancy because it will mark the park’s first permanent project and establish the foundation for future projects between the Great Park Corporation and the Great Park Conservancy.

Posted July 21, 2008

Conservancy Pledges $500,000 for Garden at the Great Park
The Great Park Conservancy’s Board of Directors has pledged to raise a minimum of $500,000 for the creation of a Conservancy Garden at the Orange County Great Park. Great Park Corporation Board Chair Larry Agran called the offer “a truly significant act worthy of note and deepest appreciation.” He went on to say that the Conservancy’s support promises to be “an integral part of a Great Park for all of Orange County to enjoy.”

Over the past year, the Conservancy conducted initial research for the Botanical Garden at the Orange County Great Park. In the course of this research, the idea for a Conservancy Garden as a first feature of the larger garden began to grow. The Conservancy Garden will be a source of inspiration for the larger garden. It will be world class in design, tell the story of the future botanical garden, include opportunities for learning, and be changeable and renewable. The Conservancy will immediately begin working with Great Park Master Designer Ken Smith and the Great Park Design Studio to discuss design issues and opportunities for the Conservancy Garden.

The Conservancy envisions the Great Park to be one of the world’s great metropolitan parks. Our role is to generate and maintain public and private support throughout Orange County and beyond for the development and operation of the Orange County Great Park.

We look forward to working with the Great Park Corporation and the Great Park Design Studio to support the planning, development, financing and operation of the Orange County Great Park – beginning with this partnership on the Conservancy Garden.

Posted February 8, 2008

Great Park News Archive