Danielle Brown joined the South Coast Botanic Garden in 2017. She is the Chief Development Officer, in charge of fundraising, marketing, guest services, programs, education and special events. The Botanic Garden is supported by the South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation, which operates the Guest Services Center and manages educational programs, venue rentals, and on-site filming coordination.
In the early 1900s, this area was mined for diatomaceous earth, and then bought by Los Angeles County for a garbage landfill. When it was full, it was capped and converted into the South Coast Botanic Garden.
The Botanic Garden has an ongoing Vision Plan for further development. Danielle encourages visiting to see the new changes and activities. She described the new features, such as the new 2-acre Rose Garden area which will reopen in March when the roses start to bloom. Improving the children’s garden and the native plants garden are pending.
Many new activities are scheduled in the Botanic Garden. An Art Festival was hosted in April 2019, and a series of art classes will be presented in Jan & Feb 2020. Danielle showed where new donated sculptures have been placed in natural settings throughout the Garden (supported by the Long Family Foundation, Marylyn & Chuck Klaus, and other donors).