“I want Texas to look like Texas and Georgia to look like Georgia.” That’s Steve Windhager using Lady Bird Johnson’s words to describe the vital role that the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden plays in preserving California’s native plants. Prior to becoming its executive director in 2010, Steve got to meet the former first lady, whom he recalls as “an active and powerful force,” when he was the director of landscape restoration for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
It’s been six years since Steve took over the Botanical Garden, and what a difference he’s made. The organization’s controversies, financial troubles, and neighboring unhappiness are things of the past, and the new John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Center, an 11,500-square-foot facility, just opened on July 13 as the new educational face of the garden. It’s a strong sign of forward momentum for the Mission Canyon institution, which is the oldest botanical garden in North America that’s focused squarely on native plants and has been a world leader in conservation since the 1960s.
In person, Steve is easy going and relaxed. In his spare time, he’s an avid woodworker, a hobby he shares with his dad, brother, and uncle. He proudly shows me a photo of his latest project: a desk for his office made out of a coast live oak that had to come down from the garden. Prior to coming to Santa Barbara, he’d never lived outside of Texas, but he and his wife are now thoroughly enjoying the American Riviera lifestyle.