Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Members Event
June 26 @ 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Onsite Members Event
Location
Tickets
Admission is Complimentary for Patron Circles
$40 for Supporter Members
Behind-the-scenes tour: Cycad Garden
Join us for an exclusive, members-only Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Lotusland’s renowned Cycad Garden—an extraordinary opportunity to explore one of the world’s most significant living collections of these ancient plants.
Led by Paul Mills, Director of Conservation and Curator of the Living Collections, and joined by Tyler Diehl, Director of Gardens and Grounds, this intimate experience offers a rare glimpse into the conservation efforts and horticultural artistry that sustain this remarkable garden.
Lotusland’s Cycad Garden is home to over 900 specimens, representing nine of the eleven living cycad genera and more than half of all known species. Among these are three Encephalartos woodii—one of the rarest plants on Earth, extinct in the wild and preserved only in botanical gardens.
During the tour, Paul and Tyler will discuss the garden’s role in global conservation efforts, including strategies to protect these endangered species from extinction. You’ll learn about the challenges of cultivating cycads, their unique adaptations, and the sustainable practices employed to maintain their health and vitality.
This event is designed for members who are already familiar with Lotusland and wish to deepen their understanding of its living collections. Engage directly with the experts who steward this extraordinary garden and gain insights into the meticulous care that preserves its legacy.
Paths may be uneven so please wear appropriate footwear.
Reservations required and space is limited to 15 participants. For questions, please call 805.969.9990 or reserve online.
Cycad Garden
Many refer to the Jurassic Period as the “Age of Cycads.”
Today, these unusual cone-bearing plants are one the most threatened plant groups on the planet due to over-collecting, deforestation, agricultural clearing, and urban sprawl. Lotusland cares for many species of cycads that are threatened — including five species in the collection that are believed to be extinct in the wild. Upon its completion, Charles Glass, a renowned plantsman who designed the garden, told Madame Walska, “This will be one of the greatest achievements of our lives.” Glass was not exaggerating. Lotusland’s collection is considered one of the most complete in any American public garden, with over 450 specimens and almost half of the known species.
NOTABLE SPECIES
Encephalartos horridus, E. trispinosus, E. lehmannii, E. heenanii, E. latifrons, E. ferox, E. lanatus, E. friderici-guilielmi, Cycas revoluta, Lepidozamia peroffskyana, Ceratozamia latifolia, Ceratozamia fuscoviridis, Dioon oaxacensis, Wollemia nobilis, Jubaeopsis caffra
