By: Rebecca Mordini for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Bruce Reed, Horticulturalist at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, was recognized at the January gathering of the Santa Barbara County Horticultural Society with its highest honor, The Bouquet of the Year. It is bestowed to a person or organization that has excelled in the advancement and promotion of horticulture in the Santa Barbara area. Reed joins a prestigious list of previous award winners including Pearl Chase and Madame Ganna Walska.
Bruce Reed was presented this award as a distinguished member of our community for his contributions to the advancement of horticulture in the Santa Barbara area. As Horticulturalist and Nursery Manager at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, he has promoted sustainability practices by encouraging the use of California native plants in garden plantings.
“I’m pleased and surprised!” said Reed. “The bouquet that Carol Terry created is all California native plants and that is very touching and shows their thoughtfulness. The white sage is beautiful and going in my garden shortly. But she also included Live-forevers, slender buckwheat, Desert sunflower and many other things! Just beautiful!”
Reed has shared his horticultural knowledge at Society meetings and is a frequent speaker at workshops and symposiums on native plants and water conservation. He writes a regular column on gardening and native plants for the Santa Barbara News Press and for the Botanic Garden’s Ironwood Newsletter. Reed gives frequent workshops at the Botanic Garden on all aspects of gardening with native plants including: garden design, water conservation and pruning.
His commendable achievements in horticulture have earned the respect and admiration of the Horticultural Society.
