The Garden Brand As Nature Evolves, So Must We

By: Jaime Eschette, Director of Marketing & Communications

Since its founding in 1926, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has respected the vital role of native plants as the foundation of a thriving ecosystem. They sustain our life on Earth. Today, as threats of climate change, biodiversity loss, and other social and environmental challenges accelerate, so too does our resolve. More than ever, the Garden is committed to our mission of conserving California’s native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet.

But as people and the planet evolve, so must the Garden.

The Garden has always been more than just a beautiful place. As the first botanic garden in the nation to focus exclusively on native plants, we are a leader in native plant cultivation and conservation. Yet, until recently, the Garden was known as one of Santa Barbara’s hidden gems. While a compliment, that under-the-radar recognition wasn’t going to help us continue to deliver upon our mission well into the next century. So, we needed to shake things up.

At the start of 2021, we embarked on a year-long journey to reestablish the Garden’s brand. That meant we needed to evaluate our principles, voice, personality, and identity to make certain they aligned with our mission, resonated with our audience, and reflected today’s most pressing environmental needs and dialogues. We brought together a group of staff, board members, and key stakeholders to explore and examine our most pressing question: How do we inspire and empower everyone to plant native plants?

Guided by J2, a branding agency out of Philadelphia, we took a hard look at our conservation efforts, educational programs, horticultural practices, and infrastructure. We also delved into the way in which we communicate with you — our donors, members, and guests. This process further cemented our commitment to native plants and strengthened our position for the future.

What was our goal? Find opportunities to do even better.

To do this, we established three guiding principles which celebrate our past, acknowledge feedback and other data from the present, and evaluate new tools and processes for the future.

We acknowledge beauty as the gateway to conservation. To create change, we must facilitate connection and foster a profound awareness of native plants.

We recognize knowledge inspires solutions and know-how toward action. To find solutions to protect and restore native plants and habitats, we must have a deep understanding of nature and the evolution of plant diversity and share this with our peers and our community.

We believe in the regenerative power of humans and native plants; change is possible. To move toward a better tomorrow, we must build a community of partners and advocates today.

But, defining who we are and where to direct our focus was only part of the work. We also needed to consider what lens we’d use to share our stories with you. This process uncovered a fresh Garden voice and personality that is still friendly and approachable while being knowledgeable, captivating, and driven.

So how do we capture all of this in one visual mark?

With everything in place, it was time finally to look closely at our brand identity — the visual expression of the work we do — which included everything from the colors we use to our logo itself. Reimagining our identity for the next 100 years forced us to consider not only our past and present but also how we hope to be perceived well into the future. Among other things, our new logo needed to express the synergy between people and the planet, prioritize conservation, and celebrate a spirit of community and collaboration.

Our new logo is intentionally abstract so that the viewer can bring their own interpretation. You may see the sun, an iris, the pistil of a flower, tree rings, a DNA sequence, or something else entirely. Whatever you see, we hope it ignites your passion and encourages you to join us as we continue to champion native plants from backyards to the backcountry across California and beyond.

Like Vincent van Gogh said, “If one truly loves nature one finds beauty everywhere.” O