The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden has opened a new Chumash Heritage Garden in collaboration with the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini, Northern Chumash Tribe of the San Luis Obispo County and Region.
The public opening ceremony was held on June 30, 2026.
The garden includes educational signage detailing the cultural significance and ecological importance of over 40 species of plants, including sage, milkweed, and poison oak.
In the fall of 2023, the Botanical Garden received a $23-thousand dollar grant from PG&E to build the Chumash heritage section of the garden. Consultants from the YTT Northern Chumash were brought in to ensure accuracy.
Just over 100 volunteers contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours to help build the Chumash Heritage Garden, according to Dana Sundblad, the Director of Development for the SLO Botanical Garden. Now, a dedicated volunteer team of six maintains the grounds.
The garden is open during daylight hours every day. Paid entry is required. Children 12 and under receive free admission.
PG&E is a financial supporter of KCBX.
