McConnell Arboretum and Gardens Opens May 30, 2005

The park and gardens are connected by the Sundial Bridge, a 21-story tall cable-stayed, cantilevered suspension bridge designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

California's newest public gardens, opening May 30, 2005, is the McConnell Arboretum and Gardens in Redding, covering 220 acres within Turtle Bay Exploration Park, a 300-acre campus that straddles the Sacramento River and developed at a cost of $8.6 million.

"About 60 million Americans visit America's gardens today, reports Sharon Lee, deputy director of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA). The McConnell Arboretum and Gardens will display over 700 species (about 65,000 plants), mostly from the Mediterranean and Mediterranean-like climates of Australia, Chile, South Africa, the Pacific Rim and California.

"Public fascination with places like Tuscany and Provence has never been higher," adds John Peterson, PhD, horticulturist and president and CEO of Turtle Bay.

"We expect that interest to attract garden lovers from across the west and beyond to Turtle Bay, as ours will be the first major public garden in America dedicated to showcasing plants from the world's Mediterranean climates, several of which are seen rarely in North America."

Dr. Peterson says another draw will be a large All-America selection trial and display garden, which demonstrates new garden seed varieties for home gardeners.

There's an art nouveau sculpture (?EUR??,,????'??Mosaic Oasis?EUR??,,????'??) in the Children's Garden. Old tiles, broken mirrors, chipped coffee mugs and bowling balls are among recycled materials used by artist Colleen Barry to create unique benches and fountains.

In the Pacific Rim Garden, internationally recognized ecological artist Betsy Damon's Sounds of Water leads visitors along marble-stepped stones, hand-carved with images, to discover the sources of California's water.

For more information, visit www.turtlebay.org.

The McConnell Arboretum and Gardens feature plants from Mediterranean-like climates from around the world. From top: a Chilean Alstroemeria, a meadow of Shasta daisies, and the ?EUR??,,????'??Sounds of Water?EUR??,,????'?? sculpture.