About the Garden

The Clovis Botanical Garden grew out of an idea presented to the Clovis City Council by Gordon Russell in 1993.
The first meeting of directors was held in 1994 and by 1995 legal non-profit status was granted to the Clovis
Botanical Garden Committee, Inc.

A suitable site was located on Clovis city park land in 1998. After many meetings and determination on the part of Gordon and committed volunteers, the site was approved by the City Council in July 2001.

Then city council member Patricia Wynne and Planning Director John Wright suggested a one-acre pilot project as a start. State Assemblyman Mike Briggs facilitated a state grant and ground was broken in March 2002.

The California Garden Club planted the first tree, a valley oak in November of 2002. It is called the Freedom Tree to commemorate 9/11/2001 paying tribute to the heroes and victims of the day.

The Garden opened to the public as volunteers began greeting visitors on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons with the garden’s first shade structure. On 4/16/2004 a ribbon-cutting was held to commemorate the completion of the 1-acre garden.

The garden received a grant from the Dept of Water Resources helped fund the improvement of the garden with irrigation, signs, pathways, and roads.

Garden was open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00 Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00. There was an increase in visitors and requests for tours.
A plan for expanding to a four-acre garden was proposed in 2008. When Dry Creek Park was completed in 2009 the entrance was moved from Clovis Ave to provide easy access to parking.

An added shade structure in 2009 provided shelter for the fall plant sales that began in 2005 and spring plant sales in 2011, rain or shine.

The signature poppy gate created by Reuel Darling was installed in 2010. A temporary information center was added in 2017.

Planting in the additional acreage began
with the cactus garden in 2012.

The first permanent structure, the Clovis Community Foundation Pavilion, was ready for events by 2016 and has become a popular venue for a variety of private events.

Additional areas for plantings defined in 2013 included the Mediterranean, South African, Chilean, and the CA Native Gardens and were completed by 2018.

Four water-wise demonstration gardens, including the traditional, allergy-free, millennial, and edible garden displays as well as the irrigation education display were completed.

By 2019, the Sensory Garden began providing individual and combined sensory experiences. The garden’s design and layout are accessible and enjoyable to disabled and non-disabled people of all ages.

2021, the Children’s Garden with whimsical and kid-friendly displays and information is nearing completion.

The future includes an Ornamental Grass Display and First People’s Ethnobotany area.

A new Visitor Center building designed by Art Dyson is currently in the planning stage.