Ruth Bancroft Garden calling on community for support

It’s hard to miss the robust steel building that has recently etched its way into the skyline on Bancroft Rd near Ygnacio Valley Rd. in Walnut Creek. This building is the new Visitor & Education Center for The Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery. The Center will open the door to educational symposia on drought-tolerant gardening and water conservation, allow for private event rentals such as weddings, parties, and corporate retreats, and will give the Garden a much needed facility upgrade for visitors, volunteers, and staff- bathrooms. It will provide increased revenue streams for the Garden which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has become a resource and example of sustainability in the community.

When the Garden set out to make the organization’s dream of building a Visitor & Education Center a reality (back in 2015), it seemed like a long-shot. Pooling resources from Garden supporters, members, and volunteers, the Garden began the ambitious work of raising the estimated 3 million dollars needed to fund construction. Two women, both retired from previous careers, have led the efforts for this capital campaign, Billie Hopper and Gretchen Bartzen. Faced with insurmountable obstacles, the two have pushed their way forward day-in-and-day-out to come within inches of reaching the fundraising and construction finish line for the new building. Following in the footsteps of the Garden’s pioneering founder, Ruth Bancroft, the two have proved the naysayers wrong by overcoming hurdles that many would have been found daunting. Due to rising construction costs, the projects budget now totals $4.9 million of which $4.45 million has been raised. The Garden is asking for the public’s help to raise the remaining $500,000 to complete construction.

Donors of $500 or more can become a permanent part of the new building with a personalized donor tile. The tiles are part of a “welcome wall” installation just outside the entrance of the new building.

The Ruth Bancroft Garden is home to a collection of succulents, cacti, and waterwise plants. Ruth Bancroft planted the Garden in 1972 and it has become a world-renowned attraction both locally and abroad. The Garden serves as a community hub for close to a hundred active volunteers and is a retreat for anyone looking for a place to connect with nature and unwind. The Garden hosts educational workshops that offer guidance in starting and maintaining a drought-tolerant garden, DIY succulent creations, art, and more.

The new building will be a beautiful facility for the community to gather, celebrate, and learn more about water wise gardening and sustainability in a time when our precious natural resources are running dry.

To donate: ruthbancroftgarden.org/support OR call (925) 944-9352

For media inquiries, please contact: angela@ruthbancroftgarden.org