Horticultural Society's Historic Facts

The 1960's saw the Society move from a so-called club to a do-something organization.

1961Showcase installed, Santa Barbara Courthouse 
1962Reactivation of Scholarship Fund, 1962 - $50; 1970 - $150; 1975 - $250; 1981 - $300; 1989 - $600   
1962 Martin Suskin introduces a new Horticulatural Society feature: The Pest of the Month 
1962 Participation in the restoration of the garden at Fernald House. 
1962 Marty Suskin discovers two rare palms, Erythea elegans Franceschi, later donated to the City by mr. and Mrs. Frank Fernandez.
1963 Renaming of Hillside Park to Orpet Park (suggested and recommended by Will Biettel, City Arborist). 
1964 Horticultural Society plan for botanic garden at Childs' Estate. Did not materialize; plants vandalized and stolen. 
1964 Tree planting at Mackenzie Park. 
1965 Memorial grove in honor of Harry Wilson, Santa Barbara Junior High School. 
1967 First Annual Horticultural Society Field Day, Santa Barbara High School. Program died due to lack of interest by schools. 
1968 Franceschi Park, master plan for park created. 

The decade of the 1970's saw the Horticultural Society, for the first time in many years, working for a profit. This was the result of outstanding exhibits in the July Flower Show, and the resultant collection of prize monies; good participation in the annual Bar-B-Que; sales and auctions held at the monthly meetings; and door-prize ticket sales.
1970Planting of wildflowers, Turnpike offramp, Highway 101 
1970Arbor Day, APril 5 tree planting in memory of Thomas Guerry, the first Santa Barbara policeman killed in the line of duty. Memorial Day, May 30; plaque to Thomas Guerry unveiled. 
1971 Collection of Erythrina (Coral Tree) donated to Parks Department for Shoreline Park. Trees later vandalized, had to be cut down. 
1971 Offer by Horticultural Society to establish Hibiscus Garden (the Official City Flower); plans for garden prepared and turned down by City. 
1972 Horticultural Society instrumental in obtaining palms from Deigard Nursery as gift to City of Santa Barbara for Shoreline Drive. Planted by City Parks Department. 
1972First publication of book "Park and Street Trees of Santa Barbara".
1972Dedication of street trees to Santa Barbara Beautiful Foundation: Bronze loquats on Ortega Street.
1974 Dedication of street trees to Santa Barbara Beautiful Foundation: Palms on E. Haley Street. 
1974 Promotion of Hibiscus Week: July 22 - 28. 
1975Pine Grove planting in the new picnic area in Schofield Park. 
1976 Second publication of book "Park and Street Trees of Santa Barbara". 
1977 Dedication of Santa Barbara's oldest tree, the one hundred year old "Sailor's Sycamore" on Milpas Street; Plaque installed. 
1977Childs' Estate gateway tree planting - died for lack of care.
1978 Birch Tree planting on Swan Lake, Childs' Estate, in memory of Roy Vogel and wife, killed in plane crash on the Canary Islands in 1976. 
1978 National Arbor Day planting, April 28th, four redwood trees in Ortega Park.
1978 Seminar on fire resistant trees and groundcovers held folling the 1977 Sycamore Canyon fire. 
 1979 National Arbor Day planting, April 27th, 14 redwood trees at Santa Barbara City College in memory of 14 past presidents of the Horticultural Society. Students on hand to help with planting. 
 1979  Effort proposed to make Franceschi Park a horticultural center for Santa Barbara garden clubs