Tuesday – Sunday | 9AM – 4PM. Last Garden Admissions are at 3:15PM.
A world-renowned 3.5-acre garden, housing a collection of succulents, both unique and beloved, as well as drought-tolerant plants from around the world. The Garden’s founder, Ruth Bancroft, lived to be 109 and was a pioneer in drought-tolerant gardening. Open to the public year-round, the Garden showcases fabulous blooms during every season and highlights plant structure and texture in robust plantings.
Winner of 2022 Best of the East Bay: Best Plant Nursery, Best Wedding Venue and Best Tourist Attraction.
Join Our Team!
We have the following positions open at our organization. Join the RBG team!
Nursery & Kiosk Associate – Full-time/Part-time
Email us your resume at jobs@ruthbancroftgarden.org
Introducing our new Executive Director: Dane Callihan
Dane has a passion for advancing the Garden’s mission, and for preserving Ruth Bancroft’s ethos and legacy. He’s an avid plant collector who practices place-based, climate appropriate gardening at his current Diablo Valley home and previous residences ranging from the dry-climate Sacramento Valley to wetter regions in Humboldt County and the Big Island of Hawai’i. Dane devotes his life work to helping lead social enterprise nonprofits that combine a charitable mission with business enterprises, much like the Garden, Events, Nursery, Design Services and Educational Programs that make up the Ruth Bancroft Garden. He’s the former executive director of Challenge Day and deputy director/COO for the California Film Institute and the Youth Leadership Institute. When he’s away from the garden, Dane hones his chef skills (calling it “heirloom chow”), binges on plant collecting, and travels throughout the West, Southwest and internationally with his partner, always visiting public and botanical gardens as a centerpiece of the journey.
Admission Fees
In September of 2022, our Admission fees will be increasing. The new rates are listed below. Admission revenue helps to preserve the Garden for the public to enjoy. Your admission fee includes a self-guided tour booklet, What’s in Bloom sheet, and more. There is no admission charge to visit our Retail nursery.
$12 | Adults (age 18-64)
$10 | Seniors (65+)/ Students/ Active Military (with valid ID)
$5 | Children (age 5-17)
Free | Children 4 and under
Free | Ruth Bancroft Garden Members
Free | Garden Conservancy Members
Free | AHS Reciprocal Admissions
Free | Museums for All (with EBT card)
Effective August of 2022, we are partnering with the Museums for All Initiative to allow FREE garden admission to EBT cardholders. Learn more about the Museums for all initiative here
photo credit Kim J. Martin
Private Events at the Garden
The Garden is a perfect venue for weddings, corporate events, birthdays and other special occasions. Our unique collection of mature trees, succulents and cacti provide a stunning backdrop to make your occasion unforgettable. Indoor and outdoor options available so you can have your event any time of year.
Voted “Best Wedding Venue in the East Bay” by Diablo Magazine editors and readers, 2020, 2021, & 2022
photo credit Caitlin Atkinson
Landscape Design Services
Want a waterwise garden but not sure where to start? We now offer landscape design consultation services ranging from a little advice to a complete plan for a whole new garden!
Photo credit Ashlee Urmson of Zella Urmson Photography
Golden Jubilee: Celebrating 50 Years of RBG
2022 is the Ruth Bancroft Garden’s Golden Jubilee Celebration. In honor of our 50th year of the joy, dedication and preservation that this beautiful Garden embodies, we have a new logo to commemorate the Aeonium ‘Glenn Davidson’ that sparked Ruth’s infatuation with succulents, dry gardening and furthered her dedication to conservation. Throughout 2022, we will be honoring Ruth and her vision by celebrating the 50 years of hard work it took to create this water-wise wonderland we have today. We are excited to share the origin of Ruth’s passion for succulents with our community.
To celebrate Ruth’s prolific collection, we have the Aeonium ‘Glen Davidson’ for sale in the Nursery. This is the plant that sparked Ruth’s fascination with succulents and we hope it will inspire you and your gardens as well!
We Appreciate Your Support
Everything the Garden accomplishes wouldn’t be possible without the support of our Members and Community! The generous donations we receive help us grow our staff, the Garden and our retail Nursery.
We are proud partners of the Bloom! California Campaign
This initiative aims to encourage people to plant California native plants in their Gardens. Doing so provides a habitat for local wildlife including hummingbirds, bees and butterflies! We have many California native plants in the Garden today, and have a selection available for sale in our retail Nursery.
FEATURED EVENTS
(Workshop) Watercolor Basics in the Garden (3-part series)
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
(Webinar) Planning Your Medicinal Herb and Pollinator Garden
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
(Workshop) Succulent Propagation for Beginners
Friday, October 21, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
What’s In Bloom
October 2022
Preview the plants blooming in the Garden right now. Discover which ones are available in the Nursery. Print this guide at home or pick one up at the Garden when you visit.
Latest Plant Highlight: Salvia chamaedryoides
Salvia is a large genus in the Mint Family (Lamiaceae) containing over 900 species of herbs and shrubs found around the world. Mexico is home to many species, including Salvia chamaedryoides.
