| Mathias Botanical Garden | |
|---|---|
 Aloes at the garden | |
  Mathias Botanical Garden  Mathias Botanical Garden  Mathias Botanical Garden | |
| Type | Public |
| Location | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Los Angeles |
| Coordinates | 34°03′57″N118°26′28″W / 34.065788°N 118.441157°W /34.065788; -118.441157 |
| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Created | 1906 (1906) byMildred Esther Mathias Hassler |
| Status | Open year round |
| Website | www |
TheMathias Botanical Garden is a 7-acre (2.8 ha)botanical garden with over 3,000 species of plants,[1] located on the southeastern corner of theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus. It is named afterMildred Esther Mathias Hassler (1906–1995), a noted Americanbotanist. The director isVictoria Sork. It is also the only free public botanical garden in the Greater Los Angeles area.[2]
UCLA's botanical garden was started as an academic laboratory shortly after theWestwood, Los Angeles campus opened in 1929, on seven acres preserved for that purpose near the arroyo on the east side of the campus. It was funded in part by theCalifornia State Relief Administration, created by newly elected GovernorFrank Merriam in 1933 to provide jobs through municipal work projects.[3] The garden's first manager, George C. Groenewegen, started with horticultural donations from theUnited States Department of Agriculture and theHuntington Botanical Gardens, among others. By 1947 the garden hosted approximately 1,500 different species and varieties of plants.[4] In the 1960s, garden director Mildred E. Mathias, who oversaw the garden from 1956 to 1974, helped to develop it into the "university garden" and opened it for public tours.[5]
The UCLA Botanical Garden of the 1950s included special sections of eucalyptus and other Australian plants,gymnosperms,palms,succulents,aquatics, andcamellias. The original native vegetation had been removed, but was replaced by a horticultural display of Californiaperennials. A lathhouse for teaching and research was completed in the northwestern corner of the garden in 1952.Franklin Murphy supported a project to build the recycling stream and ponds. Then with the construction of the La Kretz Botany Building (designed by famed architectPaul R. Williams), a sunny area was set aside for a permanent experimental garden, where plants were grown for exciting cytological studies by the botany faculty. Since the early 1960s, efforts have been made to grow plants from the tropics and subtropics, especially those with magnificent flowers, e.g., theBignoniaceae. The Garden has not suffered a freeze since winter 1948–49.
In 1979, the facility was named the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, to honor Dr. Mathias for her numerous contributions to horticulture. By then, the collection had become forest-like. Dr. Arthur C. Gibson was hired as Director in 1980, and began a program to admit more sunlight, hence providing opportunities for many sun-loving groups of plants to grow. Periodically, areas of the Garden were renovated to establish special collections, includingMalesianrhododendrons, thelily alliance,bromeliads,cycads,ferns, mediterranean-type climateshrubs (e.g.,chaparral), and native plants of theHawaiian Islands. Other exciting special collections are planned, and will be established in the future as funding becomes available.
The Nest, an outdoor classroom with semicircular bench seating, was constructed by the Garden staff and dedicated in 1996 to the memory of Hazel (Lisa) Kath McMurran, a UCLA alumna. Later that year a massive effort was undertaken to build new paths on the western side of The Garden. The gently sloped new paths and entrances provide access to The Nest and special collections to all visitors, including those with physical disabilities.[6] The garden is maintained by a full-time dedicated staff and around 30 student volunteers.
Some of the highlights of the botanical garden are:
Because the garden is frost-free it can accommodate tropical and sub-tropical plants, including special collections of ferns, palms, eucalyptus and figs. The eucalyptus and figs were brought to the garden during its early years, before they became widespread in the Los Angeles region.[8] Plants are arranged by geographic, taxonomic or cultural needs to demonstrate to students and visitors how specimens are related to one another.
Within the garden, you'll find various themed sections, such as the California Native garden, the Mediterranean Garden, the Hawaiian Garden, the Ancient Forest Section, and many more, allowing visitors to explore the diversity of flora from different parts of the world.[9]
The herbarium, which contains 150,000 dried and pressed plant specimens with a focus on California and the Western United States, is curated by Dr. Anthony Baniaga. The herbarium also has a special library dedicated to botanical literature and journals.[10]
The garden includes a largedawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides),[11] from China, an endangered species that was once thought to be extinct.
There is also a largeTorrey Pine, a rare tree found mainly inSan Diego, California, which has its own naturereserve in San Diego.
In the Hawaiian Section, there are many colorfulHawaiian hibiscus plants, which is also the state flower ofHawaii.
The palm section contains palms native to parts around the world, including theChilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis), the Spiny fiber palm (Trithrinax acanthocoma),Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii), andTexas Palmetto (Sabal mexicana).
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