On January 20, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG) held a delightful Members Mixer at its Pritzlaff Conservation Center. While the event was open to all 2,500 of SBBG’s members, special invites went out to new members to introduce them to the benefits of membership and give them a behind-the-scenes tour of the center.
The two-year-old Pritzlaff Center, across the street from the rest of the garden, provided a stunning setting. Guests mingled on the spacious patio and lawn and inside the center, all of which afforded breathtaking ocean views. Guests enjoyed appetizers and drinks while viewing the art of Kevin Gleason and Chris Potter in the center’s gallery, which features rotating exhibits and is open to SBBG visitors every day. During a short program, Executive Director Steve Windhager welcomed the guests and shared his gratitude for members, who “really care about Santa Barbara, California native plants, and conserving that legacy so that our grandchildren get to experience the beauty of California the same way we all did.”
Many opted for one of the fascinating tours of the center, led by Windhager, and of the adjacent Island View Garden, led by Horticulturalist Bruce Reed. On tour, Windhager shared how SBBG has been doing conservation work for 90 years, but before it was done behind closed doors. Now, the new center offers guests a large window into its multipurpose lab to observe the center’s work.