Garden management practices at Lotusland

Lotusland is a public garden that practices ongoing permaculture improvement. All materials used today in the garden are certified organically-based and the least harmful alternatives available.

Lotusland is a unique 37-acre estate and botanic garden situated in the foothills of Montecito to the east of the city of Santa Barbara. The gardens now covering the estate were created by Madame Ganna Walska, who owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984. Before her death, Madame Walska established the nonprofit Ganna Walska Lotusland Foundation, which now preserves this unrivaled botanical treasure.

A successful sustainable gardening program is built by incorporating various practices and ideas relevant to the specific site that encourage as much compatibility among diverse organisms as possible.

Here are a few strategies practiced at Lotusland:

- Green garden waste is managed onsite in compost piles and returned to the garden as mature compost

- Difficult to compost green waste such as fibrous leaves and palm fronds are transported to the county's green waste recycling program.

- Use large quantities of organic materials from the county green waste recycling program, as well as wood chips from tree companies

- Promote the use of mulches to raise awareness of their value

For more tips on sustainable land management, check their website or BackyardNature.com for a summary of sustainable tips.