November 10, 2025

We are thrilled to announce that the Santa Fe Botanical Garden has received a $22,000 grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust to support the rejuvenation of our Meadow Border in 2026. We are deeply grateful as well to the Rae-Haight family for their generous contributions to this project, made in memory of longtime Garden friend and volunteer, Marian Rae Haight. Together, this support will help us transform one of our most visible garden spaces into a vibrant, waterwise landscape that welcomes visitors year-round.

Since opening to the public in 2013, our Garden has proudly upheld its mission to “celebrate, cultivate, and conserve… the biodiversity of our region through education, science, conservation… and the sustainable management of our public garden.” Over the years, we’ve created plantings that are beautiful in every season, that showcase the native and adapted species of our bioregion, and that help visitors understand the intricate relationships between our region’s plants, water, soil, wildlife, and climate.

We are now turning our attention to a key area in need of renewal: the Meadow Border. Located near the entrance, this prominent garden space greets every visitor but has not been refreshed since our opening. The original groundcovers and perennials have declined in vigor, some requiring more water than is now sustainable, and the cold winters of this north-facing border have challenged less-adapted plants.

With this grant, we will transform the Meadow Border into a dynamic, waterwise display that thrives in Santa Fe’s unique high-desert climate. The reimagined border will feature a curated mix of flowering perennials, grasses, and small shrubs selected not only for their seasonal interest and habitat value, but also for their resilience in our demanding conditions. Striking foliage, vibrant blooms, and sculptural seedheads will create visual depth and layered beauty from spring through winter, offering an inspiring first impression for every visitor. Carefully placed boulders will stabilize the slope and add sculptural interest, echoing the Garden’s aesthetic of stone walls and natural rock features.

Central to the new design is the use of Plant Select® introductions, a non-profit collaboration between Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and regional horticulturists. For more than 25 years, Plant Select has identified plants that are not only ornamental but tough, water-thrifty, and ecologically appropriate for the intermountain west. Many of these selections are already thriving in our other garden spaces, and the Meadow Border will be our first curated display dedicated to showcasing the full vision of the program—likely the first in New Mexico.

This project reflects the Garden’s mission to combine beauty, education, and conservation. The renewed Meadow Border will demonstrate sustainable gardening practices, support pollinators, and invite visitors to explore the possibilities of climate-adapted landscaping. With this grant from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust, we are one step closer to creating a garden space that surprises, delights, and inspires at the very moment visitors enter the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.

Thank you for your support!

and

the Rae-Haight family, in memory of Marian Rae Haight