Nestled in the 18-acre Polliwog Park is Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden — which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting at the garden, 1236 N. Peck Ave., last week in honor of the milestone.
The native garden and wildlife habitat on the west side of Polliwog Park serves as a nonprofit, public education organization, while also providing a safe environment for birds, butterflies, insects and other local wildlife.
The Manhattan Beach City Council also recognized the botanical garden’s 25th anniversary at last week’s meeting.
The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Rachel Judson, Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce)
The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Rachel Judson, Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce)
The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Rachel Judson, Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce)
The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Rachel Judson, Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce)
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The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a ribbon cutting, hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Rachel Judson, Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce)
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The more than half-an-acre demonstration garden is a certified nature habitat. There’s even a butterfly hut on site, and a toolshed that captures and stores rainwater for garden plants.
Free gardening classes are offered in the spring and fall, with volunteers teaching the community about water conservation for home landscapes, and how to install and care for California native plants without fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and more.
In 1992, Manhattan Beach residents came up with the idea for the garden. They were inspired to create a demonstration garden of drought-tolerant plants in a free public park.
They used their respective experience in horticulture, design, landscaping, business and environmental studies, with support from the city, Manhattan Beach Unified School District, the former Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Community’s Environment organization, and Chevron to secure the location and funding.
After nine years of planning and planting, the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden opened on Earth Day in 2001. By opening day, the National Wildlife Federation had already given the garden a certified Wildlife Habitat designation.
All labor in constructing the garden was volunteer-based, according to the garden’s website, a practice that continues today in maintaining the land.
In 2020, volunteers began converting the entire garden to local California native plants, according to the garden’s website, transforming the focus to preserve biodiversity in the wake of declining birds and insects as their habitats shrink.
Garden admission is free.
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