Garden-to-Table Restaurant
The Garden-to-Table Restaurant is a place for the community to gather and celebrate special moments and milestones. The beloved restaurant will be moved to a central spot on Pacific Coast Highway. This relocation will allow for a natural integration of the gardens with the surrounding Village; creating opportunities for passerby to be drawn in by the sensory experiences to then discover the beauty of the gardens beyond. The hours will be expanded to include dinner, creating more opportunities for the community to experience the garden. The Community Building, previously shared with the restaurant, will now be used full time for programs and classes; expanding the offerings and impacting more people through educational and artistic experiences.
Tropical Conservatory
The Tropical Conservatory will maintain its iconic configuration while being enhanced with modern systems to improve sustainability throughout the gardens. The recognizable wooden slats will be assessed for repair and replacement. Underneath the facade, the glass enclosure and mechanical systems will be replaced with updated technology to better maintain the tropical conditions for plants and animals to thrive. The Tropical Conservatory has a rotational display of over 2,500 rare species of orchids; which make the space vital to educating the public of the importance of botanical gardens. The revitalization of the tropical conservatory will also include vital refurbishment of underground plumbing systems to resume access to restrooms near the Visitor Center.
Bell Tower
A stately Bell Tower will anchor the gardens’ new grand entrance. The Bell Tower will become the new front door of the property, an iconic silhouette immediately recognizable to the residents of Orange County. Placed strategically along Pacific Coast Highway, the new Bell Tower will rise above the thoroughfare so it’s visible to the passing public and guests within the garden. The Bell Tower will be a modern design that incorporates traditional elements, while respecting the history of the gardens and the region as a whole. The bell itself, recovered from a ranch that M. H. Sherman once owned near Baja, has historical significance to the garden and will be returned to a place of honor. It will be rung at appointed times throughout the day, as well as in celebration of milestones within the gardens.
Central Garden Walk
Once visitors step through the Bell Tower entrance, a Central Garden Walk flanked by the Tropical Conservatory and the Specimen Shade Garden will guide them through the heart of the landscape. This path will serve as the main artery through the grounds, connecting the front gardens to the Central Garden and Community Building, which will now be used full time for educational programs and classes. As the central thoroughfare, it will have a tremendous amount of impact and visibility for patrons and will also house the Annual Giving Tree that will honor those who give in support of the Garden’s mission and programs. New paving will be provided for both accessibility and sustainability improvements. The paving will allow for percolation of water that can be collected and returned to the garden for on-site use of recycled water.
Grab & Go
Along the side of the Garden-to-Table Restaurant will be a Grab-and-Go service area where customers can order light bites, coffee, and pastries. This will create a regular stopping point for both locals and people passing through. To avoid queuing on the sidewalk or Pacific Coast Highway, an alcove will protect people who are waiting and give them space to stand and chat adjacent to the garden setting. This European-style gathering area will foster community and build new touch points for the Sherman Library & Gardens to engage with the public.
Restaurant Patio
The welcoming face of the Sherman’s new Garden-to-Table restaurant will be a vibrant patio area for al fresco dining. The Restaurant Patio will face Pacific Coast Highway, giving passerby visibility into the restaurant and gardens. A partial height garden wall with glass on the upper half will minimize noise from the street, while still offering clean sight lines in the new space. Outdoor seating will also increase the indoor-outdoor touch points across the property, inviting engagement and patronage, and an opportunity to enjoy fine weather during a meal. Tasteful architectural lighting will illuminate the inviting Restaurant Patio, where the Garden-to-Table Restaurant will be able to expand its hours to offer dinner service in a warm, romantic atmosphere.
Tea Garden
The Tea Garden will act as the connection between the restaurant and the gardens further supporting the garden-to-table vision. Along the restaurant’s back wall, accordian doors will add to the indoor-outdoor experience and allow diners to feel enveloped by the garden setting. The Garden-to-Table Restaurant will gently spill into the Tea Garden, creating a beautiful and peaceful environment set within the iconic character of the space. Diners will have the ability to see the garden in action; with the Tea Garden as an ideal location for programs, education classes, and community gatherings. The Tea Garden’s fountain will be restored and preserved, in keeping with the modern-meets-historic aesthetic of the new design.
Specimen Shade Garden
Located along the Central Garden Walk, the Specimen Shade Garden will be one of the first impressions many visitors have of the property. The shade garden educates the visitors with specimens that thrive without the benefit of sunlight. The shade structure surrounding the shade garden will be upgraded and maintained to enhance the garden’s appearance and harmonize with the surrounding spaces. New paving will allow for increased accessibility and sustainability throughout the garden.
Ticket Booth
Integrated into the base of the Bell Tower, the Ticket Booth will be the transition point from busy Pacific Coast Highway to the Sherman Library & Gardens’ oasis. The Ticket Booth will be a modern design that incorporates traditional elements. As patrons pass by the Ticket Booth they will travel beneath the Bell Tower into the garden, bringing them into a calm and peaceful environment where the opportunity for learning flourishes.
Formal Garden Center Pacific Coast
Fernleaf
Currently used as a potager (kitchen garden), the Formal Gardens make up an important part of the diversity of the grounds. These gardens change regularly, offering seasonal bounty and inspiration to dishes in the Garden-to-Table Restaurant. Each of the gardens’ plantings will thrive under the expert guidance of the horticulture team. The rotating displays will enlighten viewers through a visual demonstration of proper planting, watering and sunlight techniques to flourish. Pathway improvements will increase accessibility to visitors and contribute to sustainability initiatives throughout the garden, including drainage that feeds into a cistern for water retention and reuse.
Little Shade Arbor
The shade garden’s Little Shade Arbor will be redesigned in a modern, functional way that will optimize the environment needed for plants to thrive. The new design will honor the history of the site and allow for uninterrupted views between the Tea Garden and Central Garden where people will gather for educational programs and classes. New paving will be incorporated for improvements to accessibility and sustainability throughout the gardens.
Sun Garden Center Pacific Coast
The Sun Gardens offer visitors a horticultural experience that is beautiful and creative. The design is reimagined seasonally, allowing the Sherman Library & Gardens’ staff to cultivate artistic expression through floral interpretation, exposing viewers to vibrant and unusual plants that often act as a source of inspiration for their own garden spaces. As with the Formal Gardens and Shade Gardens, the pathways surrounding the Sun Gardens will be upgraded to improve accessibility and sustainability.
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center will be located in one of the original structures on the property. With its prominent position along Pacific Coast Highway, the Visitor Center will welcome the community and integrate the garden into the surrounding neighborhood. The structure will be upgraded and enhanced to create a fully accessible, informational setting that is inclusive and inviting to all. Visitors will find updates and dialogue about the garden’s membership levels, educational programs and classes, art exhibitions, and overall calendar of events. Additionally, they will be able to purchase specialty curated souvenirs and gifts so that they can take a piece of the garden home with them, expanding the impact beyond the walls.