Darwin in the Garden
Monday January 27th 5:00pm
UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion
Join Ned Friedman, Evolutionary Biologist and Director of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University to explore the importance of botanical gardens for improving public understanding of evolution. Although often overlooked as such, many of the plants in botanical gardens are premier examples of the ongoing process of evolution. Indeed, Charles Darwin drew heavily from botanical and horticultural knowledge to gain critical evidence for and insights into the process of evolution. Early evolutionists made use of plant hybridization, domestication history, horticultural sports, and biogeography to piece together key facets of the evolutionary process. In a country where roughly 40% of the population believes in the miraculous creation of biodiversity, botanical gardens can become a stronger voice for the promotion of evolutionary thinking. This event is free but seating is limited--please RSVP. The Botanical Garden is open from 8am-4pm this day. Come early to explore the collection.
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Later Close Starts February 1st
The sun is shining longer each day. On Saturday February 1st, the Garden will resume closing at 5pm through October. Our hours will be:
Weekdays: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Weekends: 9:00am - 5:00pm
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The Flower World
Thursday February 27th 4:30pm
UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion
The Flower World was referenced in the pottery, codices, murals, songs, myths, and ceremonies across Mesoamerica. Contemporary Indigenous communities continue to speak of, about, and from this powerful realm of healing and sacrifice. Are we simply seeing a Utopianism that spread across the Americas and across thousands of years? Or, as Dr. Shorter suggests, might the Flower World be a living, present indication of a multiverse, best understood ontologically and inter-dimensionally? Dr. David Shorter is a Professor of World Arts and Cultures/Dance at UCLA. He is also the Director of the Archive of Healing, an online database of healing approaches from around the globe. His talk will feature a forthcoming essay that he co-wrote with Yoeme elder, Felipe Molina, a long-time collaborator. Learn more about The Archive of Healing and how to get involved here.
This talk is a part of the Plant Worlds Ethnobotany Seminar Series Co-presented by UCLA Humanities, UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, and The Huntington. Special thanks to UCLA Life Sciences, Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center at UCLA, Traditional Medicinals, and the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions for their support of this seminar series. This event is free, but seating is limited--Please RSVP.
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Aloes Blooming!
The succulent collection in the Desert / Mediterranean-Ecosystem gardens is entering into full bloom! Come explore these gorgeous plants! Our collection is predominantly South African, where the Cape Region shares a similar climate to Los Angeles. In Africa, the native pollinators of aloes are sunbirds, but because they do not live in North America, the plants are often fertilized by hummingbirds. Both types of birds are nectar feeders with beaks well-designed to drink from long tubular flowers.
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Galapagos Cacti Research - Dr. Felipe Zapata
Did you know that the Garden is a research facility? Here you can see Dr. Felipe Zapata, UCLA Faculty, and Dr. Sophie Katz, Plant Records Manager at the Botanical Garden, looking at samples of different species of Opuntia from the Galapagos that were given to us from Lotusland in Santa Barbara. This is for a project Felipe is starting in his lab on the diversification of these cacti species. They are using fresh samples to try get good DNA, but will also use samples that their collaborators in Ecuador (Dr. Gonzalo Rivas and Jaime Chaves) sent. Genomics work has already started and they hope to get some sequences soon!
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Thank You for Supporting Volunteer Gardeners!
An enormous THANK YOU to everyone who supported our campaign to raise funds to build out a new volunteer gardener area! We now have this amazing Tuff Shed, some new tools, and new plants to support those who donate their time and energy here. We especially want to thank:
.🌿 In honor of Frances Wenzinger
.🕷 Gabby Najm @socialspidergirl
.🌳 Mohammad Shahili
.🐱🐱 @waffles_cocoa
.🌵 Katja May
.🐿 Steven Nowack
.🍄 Sophie Katz @megafaunic
.🌿 Taylor Stayton
.🦋 Gabrielle Mittelbach
.🌴 Sanford Jacoby
.🦎 Ryan Phillips
.🍁 Jolene Morita
.🐢 in memory of Keith J. Joe BS ‘96
.🌸 Robert Johnson
.🥕 in memory of Mildred E. Mathias
.🌺 Michael and Charlene Sievers
.🐛 Paul Sheats
.🌻 Leticia Valenzuela
.🦉 Mario Sokolich
.🌾 in memory of Nancy B. Flint
.🦝 Monica Lee
.🍂 Michael Fishbein
.🐝 in memory of Philip Thornber
.🍀 Gabriela De Pinho
.🐌 Chuck Engel
.🌞 Alicia Saavedra
.🌈 Judy King-Rundel
.🦇 Erica Anderson
.🕊 Nina Devries
Thank you also to UCLA Spark for helping us coordinate this project!
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