The Ruth Bancroft Garden hosts an Annual Benefit Dinner each year to raise funds to sustain The Garden and to continue the important education programs offered.  The proceeds for the dinner help to support our very important School Tours Program which teaches youth about water conservation, history and the science of horticulture in an interesting and fun way.

This year the theme is “Swinging In The Garden.”  The evening will feature cocktails, a gourmet dinner, live music and dancing, live and silent auctions, and a reception honoring long-time Garden friends and donors Richard and Sally Ingraham, recipients of the Golden Barrel Cactus Award for Philanthropy.

For more information on becoming a sponsor, please view our Sponsorship Brochure.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of events!

The Clubhouse at Boundary Oak
3800 Valley Vista Road
Walnut Creek, CA

5:15 pm VIP Reception in The Mira Vista Room
6:00 pm Cocktail Hour with Appetizers and Silent Auction
7:00 pm Dinner

Mistress of Ceremonies – Mayor Sue Rainey
Award Presentation
8:00 pm Live Auction – John Pereira, Auctioneer

Entertainment: A Quintet of The Bay Area's Finest Musicians presenting music from The Great American Songbook for your listening and dancing pleasure. Featuring:

Patti Leidecker on piano

Guid Fazio on Saxaphone

Sandy Hughes on Trombone

With vocals by Al Hart and Patti Leidecker

Black Tie Optional. The Ruth Bancroft Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Federal Tax
ID number is 68-0310041. A portion of each ticket ($70) is tax-deductible.

To purchase tickets, please print and complete the Reply Card. Call the office at (925)944-9352 or fax with credit card information to (925) 256-1889. Mail with check to:

The Ruth Bancroft Garden

ATTN: Dinner

1552 Bancroft Road

Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Dinner Individual - $150                           

VIP Reception & Dinner - $250        

Dinner for 8 Guests - $1200                           

Dinner & VIP Reception for 8 Guests - $1800      

For more information about various sponsorship level benefits click here.

This year we honor Dick and Sally Ingraham, charter members of The Ruth Bancroft Garden. Sally served on the Board of Directors for six years and spent much of that time chairing the Development Committee. She chaired the Sculpture Show for three years, and together, the Ingrahams have worked on countless fundraising events to help raise operating funds and foster awareness of the garden.

The Ingrahams have been very active in the Walnut Creek community. Dick Ingraham worked with the Chamber of Commerce on the Shadelands Development area, served as President of the Mount Diablo Therapy Center and is a former board member of the John Muir Hospital Foundation.

Sally Ingraham worked on the original Open Space Committee and served for five years on the City Arts Commission. Sally also spent 15 years on a committee planning and fundraising for the Lesher Center and currently serves as a trustee for the center.

We are proud to honor Dick and Sally for their commitment to The Ruth Bancroft Garden and for their many years of work to enhance the Walnut Creek community.

The Ruth Bancroft Golden Barrel Cactus Award for Philanthropy Past Recipients:

2000     Miriam Lar Rieu

2001     Geraldine and Lyles Pember

2002     Kate and George Rowe

2003     Anne and Frank Cabot

2004     The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust

2005     Anne and Joe McCann

2006     Roger and Judy Haughton

2007     Dr. Luman and Marilyn Hughes

2009     Dr. Maynard "Bud" and Olga Jane Rotermund

SeaDream Cruise  - Your ultimate pleasure is SeaDream’s Passion.  Relax and enjoy a 7 Night all inclusive Mediterranean Voyage with an ocean view, Deck 3  - Yacht Club Stateroom for two.  Find the week of your choice and book as space is available! Sail from ports such as Istanbul, Venice, Rome, Athens and more. Sailing within the months of May-Oct. 2010 or 2011. Value: $18,800 

  Vacation internationally or anywhere in the US through Interval International   at any of their over 100 choice resort timeshares, based on availability. Bring  friends or family for this one week stay for 6 people. To be used before May 7,   2012.  Value: $2,000 

Georgeanne Brennan - Cooking Class with award winning cookbook author and  journalist Georgeanne Brennan.  She will provide a cooking class and five star dinner  with the finest seasonal ingredients and wines for 6 people at the home of Board  Member and gourmet cook, Billie Hopper.  Value: $900

Please see our Live Auction items here.

See our Silent Auction items here.

In order to donate to our Auction, please fill out our Auction Item Donation Form

Thank you for your commitment to this wonderful event!
Gretchen Bartzen & Mike Rippey, Bob & Fran Schroder, Lee & Mary Anderson, Helen & Raleigh Davis, Ruth & Bob Hussey, Sue & Dick Rainey, Gary Skrel & Natalie Inouye, Luman & Marilyn Hughes, Lyles & Geraldine Pember, Pat Fury & Al Hart, Mimi Knox, Rosemarie Kramer, Paul Lonsdale, Bud & Jane Rotermund, Patti Paulson & Pat Matthews, Dawn Marie & Sam Yates, Tom & Pat Bassett, Billie Hopper & David Mitchell, Donna & Ken Coit