[Noozhawk’s note: Second in a series sponsored by the Hutton Parker Foundation. Click here for the first article.]
As Ganna Walska Lotusland commemorates its three-decade milestone of welcoming the public into its gardens, the anniversary signals not merely a celebration of the past, but a crucial juncture for the future.
With a steadfast commitment to conservation, education and inspiration, the Montecito estate is preparing for the next decade, embarking on a master plan to sustain and guide the garden for future generations.
“Our anniversary provided an inflection point, comparing where we were 30 years ago to where we want to be in the future,” said Mari Mitchel, Lotusland’s board vice president.
The board initiated a needs assessment engaging the expertise of Arcadia Studio, to envision and prioritize physical improvements that will allow the nonprofit organization to operate sustainably and to thrive.
With a desire to communicate, educate and inspire guests on how beauty and environmental sustainability can coexist, Lotusland identified six main components to the garden programming:
- Education
- Conservation and sustainable horticulture
- Support and enhancement of the living collection
- Guest and member experience
- Special events
- Community access and engagement
Mitchel told Noozhawk that the master plan, now in development, runs parallel with the Lotusland Forever capital campaign, ensuring that money raised is used where it’s most needed to preserve and enhance the garden for the next generation.
The first priority emerging from the master plan is water security.
With an eye toward modernizing ways of capturing water, Lotusland is hyper-focused on a future in which it demonstrates and practices techniques to optimize water retention, reduction, containment and management.
Fortunately, this is not new to the 37-acre Lotusland, which has been employing sustainability efforts for more than 30 years.
The garden is credited with being among the very first pesticide-free botanic gardens in the United States.
Incorporating the expertise of UC Santa Barbara researchers in the areas of botany, soil sciences, entomology and more, Lotusland has created a scientifically backed, tried-and-tested program that includes three focus areas:
- Habitat management — promoting pollinators and beneficial insects
- Soil development — using only natural materials to feed plants and soil, and recycling for composts, compost tea and mulches
- Careful plant selection — picking those adaptive to soil, climate and water rationing for Lotusland’s bioregion
It is also about knowing what not to do in the garden, like using conventional chemical fertilizers, which recently retired Lotusland sustainability manager Corey Welles referred to as “liquid death.”
Healthy, pesticide-free soil can retain far more water than chemically treated soil, and the first step is sustainable water management.
The conservation of water is therefore much easier with sustainable practices in place. Lotusland has the vision to take this even further.
The master plan includes stages of capturing rainwater and water run-off being stored, filtered and combined with well water, which, when the plan storage phases are fully realized, experts estimate will reduce water usage by around 40%.
This collective knowledge, developed after years of research undertaken at Lotusland, notably by Welles, the resident expert for 33 years, and his successor, Chris Ziliotto, is being made into a technical manual that will serve as a guide for other public gardens and private estates.
Other areas of sustainability outlined in the visionary master plan include efforts to incorporate best practices to reduce the impact on the environment and minimize Lotusland’s carbon footprint.
The garden plans to incorporate a gate for arrivals by foot or bicycle, add solar power and installing charging stations for vehicles.
“We will also make our property even more accessible, with pathways that are more functional for visitors with all levels of physical ability, while retaining the charm,” Mitchel noted.
In addition to the gardens, Lotusland features a notable collection of handcrafted decorative tile, garden ornaments, pots, minerals and statuary that are exposed to the elements and in need of preservation.
These nonliving collections tell the story of Lotusland and of its creator, Madame Ganna Walska, and are of particular historical significance, along with her personal collections of scrapbooks, costumes, paintings and artifacts.
All are slated for preservation and will be conserved as funds are contributed.
The Pavilion, built in 1925 and designed by George Washington Smith with Lutah Maria Riggs, was Walska’s preferred residence and her personal artifacts remain housed here.
This physical building, along with its adjoining patio, will be restored and repaired according to the master plan.
Geoff Crane, a longtime trustee and a general contractor who has been involved with Lotusland for many years, will assist, with a team of specialists, the preservation of historic structures throughout the property.
“The history and importance of these structures is critical to maintaining what people love about Santa Barbara and Montecito,” Crane said. “So much change is happening, so fast.
“Without paying attention to preservation, we risk losing the unique charm of this community.”
Click here for more information about Lotusland, or click here to make an online donation to Lotusland Forever.
