Santa Barbara Botanic Garden announces beginning of Fall Planting season

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden announced it will kick off fall planting season starting Friday.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens Nursery holds the largest selection of California native plants on the Central Coast.

"Native plants provide habitat for beneficial insects and attract pollinators which are important for a healthy garden ecosystem," said Joe Rothleutner, Director of Horticulture and Facilities at the Botanic Gardens. "Even adding a few natives to your garden can have a big impact.”

The Gardens suggest that there are many benefits to planting in the fall, including:

• Rain season is sooner
• Weeds are more dormant
• Leaf eating insects are less active

Matt Straka is the Nursery Manager at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

"We prepare for native planting season by stocking up on most of your standard, essential garden plants," Straka said. "We can access different plants at different times of the year, so it's best to come back often to see any changes in stock."

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has been open for the past 90 years. It first started off with 13 acres and now includes 78 acres, including 5 miles of walking trails open to the public.

The nursery will be open daily to the public starting at 10 a.m. and closing at 5:30 p.m.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, click here.