Contact Info
Ruth Bancroft Garden, The
Freya van Dien
1552 Bancroft Rd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Phone: 925-944-9352
Fax: 925-256-1889
Contact via Email
Visit our Website
Photo Tour
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Our Website
Click below to visit our Website
Services
Going Green Commitments
- General Practices:
- Track water and energy usage and solid and hazardous waste generation.
- Adopt a written environmentally preferable (or green) purchasing policy.
- Establish a 'green team' that can help guide efforts to green your business.
- Provide three on-going incentives or training opportunities to encourage management and employee participation.
- Inform your customers about your efforts to meet the Green Business Standards.
- Assist at least one other business in learning about the Green Business Program and encourage them to enroll.
Hours of Operation
Monday Friday10 am 4 pm
Saturday
10 am 1 pm
Jan 1 Mar 29/Open
Apr 12 Oct 11/Open
Nov 8 Mar 28, 2009/Open
CLOSED
Mar 30 April 11 / Preparing for Spring Opening
Oct 12 Nov 7 / Installing Winter Covering
About Us
For a list of upcoming events or if you would like to get involved, please visit our website for details on how you can help.
Support The Garden | Donations
Supporting The Garden will help ensure the preservation of this world class botanical garden. The Gardens mission is to preserve this exceptional example of garden design, and to continue to develop its collection of water-conserving plants, for the education and enjoyment of the public. Please dont hesitate to make a one-time donation or set up a recurring monthly donation using your credit card. As always, your gift is tax deductible.
Planned Giving
A wonderful way to support The Ruth Bancroft Garden is to plan a gift in your estate or will. Estate gifts can be specified to go into our Endowment Fund, creating a lasting source of income to preserve The Garden. Click here for more information.
Membership
Become a member of The Ruth Bancroft Garden and preserve this national treasure as a unique asset to Walnut Creek and the greater Bay Area. Memberships help fund programs that educate our community on water-wise plants and contribute to our operating costs.
Basic Membership - $35
Free admission for tours and open days
One free Guest Pass (good for tour admission)
Notices of Garden events
Invitation to Members Only Plant Sale
10% discounts at select area nurseries and garden centers
Discounts on selected tours & events
Subscriptions to The Newsletter of The Ruth Bancroft Garden and monthly Email Bulletin
Pacific Horticulture Magazine subscription discount
Artist Day members can visit on Fridays to paint, photograph, draw, etc.
Family Membership - $60
Basic benefits | Two membership cards | Two Guest Passes
Cereus - $100
Basic benefits | Two membership cards | Four Guest Passes
Aloe - $250
Above benefits plus | Opportunity to purchase plants by appointment
Agave - $500
Above benefits plus | Invitation to donor event for Garden Supporters
Visionary - $1,000
Above benefits plus | Two nonmember Guest Passes for Members Only Plant Sale | Unlimited free admission to The Garden for you and your guests
Preservationist - $2,000
Above benefits plus | Private use of The Garden
Golden Barrel Benefactor - $5,000-$10,000
Lifetime membership with all privileges | Private use of The Garden | Permanent donor recognition
Student Membership - $15
All benefits of Basic Membership Senior Membership (65+) - $25 | All benefits of Basic Membership Garden Club Membership - $50 | Notices of Garden events | Subscriptions to The Newsletter of The Ruth Bancroft Garden and monthly Email Bulletin
Corporate Sponsorships - $2,000 and above
Private group tours for employees | Private use of The Garden | Recognition on website and other print materials | Employee membership cards as required | Notices of Garden events | Invitation to Members Only Plant Sale | 10% discounts at select area nurseries and garden centers | Discounts on selected tours & events | Subscriptions to The Newsletter of The Ruth Bancroft Garden and monthly Email Bulletin | Pacific Horticulture Magazine subscription discount | Additional benefits based upon sponsorship such as recognition on donor plaque, etc.
10% Nursery Discounts when you present your membership card at:
Navlets Garden Center (all locations)
Merlot Nursery, Walnut Creek
The Dry Garden, Oakland
Annies Annuals & Perennials, Richmond
Volunteering
Volunteering at The Ruth Bancroft Garden is a wonderful way to enjoy this exceptional garden and contribute to its success. Become a volunteer and join our Propagation Crew, Event Team or Office Assistance group!
Without the enthusiasm and dedication of volunteers, The Ruth Bancroft Garden would not be here today. Since this garden was planted in 1972, and all the way through its development from a private into a public garden, volunteers have been instrumental in maintaining the garden and supporting the organization behind it.
Volunteering at the Ruth Bancroft Garden is a great opportunity to contribute to the success of this exceptional example of garden design, and care for its collection of water-conserving plants for the education and enjoyment of the public. As a volunteer at the garden you will have the opportunity to learn more about gardening with water conserving plants, be a member of an interesting community of volunteers, spend time in a relaxing environment, and be a part of this inspiring garden and the organization behind it.
Garden work
Nursery: propagating, repotting and cleaning plants for plant sales and plantings in the garden.
Garden Maintenance: weeding, deadheading, planting, pruning, composting, etc.
Garden Construction: landscaping, irrigation, building, etc.
Grown at Home Propagation. Grow RBG plants at home for plant sales and new plantings in the garden.
Event Assistance
Event organization & production, Register assistance at Plant Sales, Member host and Membership Sales, Traffic Control, Merchandise (buying, organizing and selling)
Office Assistance
Front Desk: welcoming visitors, answering phones, filing, data entry, etc.
Outreach & Development: mailings, soliciting donations, distributing printed materials.
Computer work: graphic design, website maintenance.
Education
Become a Docent! Our annual training between October and March will prepare you to lead tours in the garden.
Childrens programs: assisting with special projects and classes.
Adult Education: assisting with hands-on workshops, lectures, special trips, etc.
We welcome you to join our incredible team of Volunteers! Download our Volunteer Application, complete, and return it to The Garden. We accept applications year-round, and we have volunteers of all ages. We hope you will contribute to The Garden by giving your time, skills, and energy.
Docents
Interested in sharing your love for plants with others? Become a Docent at the Ruth Bancroft Garden! Sign up for our New Docent Training Program that takes place each year between October and March, and become a member of our much respected docent team!
Docents Leading Tours in the Garden
The docents at the Ruth Bancroft Garden play a vital role, interpreting the flora of the garden, to hundreds of visitors per year. The docent training provides you with knowledge about our collection of drought tolerant plants, the history of the garden, its geographic location, and trains you in interpretive skills and public speaking. As a trained docent you are certified to lead tours through the garden and share your knowledge with our visitors.
The benefits of becoming a docent, besides the satisfaction of working in a beautiful place, and contributing to your community, include a free garden membership, and ongoing Docent Enrichment educational opportunities.
Defining Statement
"This four-acre plot...smack in the middle of suburbia, is exceptional in all ways, with a grand link to California history, with a courageous eye to making the best of a dry environment, and with a flair for dramatic that leads to words like stunning and sculptural."Linda Peterson, Diablo Magazine
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