Alta Vista Botanical Gardens Master Plan Developed by Bryan Morse

Bryan Morse,

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In 2013, the Board of Trustees of Alta Vista Botanical Gardens unanimously approved the proposed Master Plan created by Bryan Morse.

Throughout the Garden, special viewpoints have been identified, and gathering places (patios or gazebos) are being provided for group meetings, picnicking, chess games or relaxation.  Seating, water features, garden art and sculptures are being strategically located and displayed throughout the Garden.

Plants that attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds are being planted in every corner of the Garden. More are added every month.

  1. Garden Headquarters and Library: Located at the peak of the Garden, this space is being utilized as the core of our educational program where classes may be held when inclement weather prohibits the use of the nearby Ceremonial Garden or other outdoor areas.
  1. Desert Garden: Created by Bryan Morse. This Garden features Palms from arid regions; Cacti and Succulents; Aloes and Agaves; dry climate trees and flowering shrubs; as well as many other wonders appropriate in an arid climate.
    1. Oasis in the Desert
    2. Medicine Wheel: from Native American tradition
    3. Dry Stream Bed
    4. Aloe & Agave Collection
    5. Opuntia Collection
  2. South African Garden: Created by Bryan Morse. There is an incredible variety of exotic plants native to the South African Sub-Continent. Among others plants this Garden features two Sausage trees, a variety of plants from the Protea family and a large variety of Cycads.
  3. Cycads
    1. Protea family
    2. Prehistoric Garden
    3. ‘Cycads of the World’ Garden
    4. Blue Cycad Garden: A collection of plants with Blue foliage that helps them acclimate to the harsh climate of their origin.
    5. ‘I Raggi Crescenti di Amore’ Patio: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. This artistic patio was created with fields of different colored Idaho Quartzite, natural rock and inlaid pebbles.
  4. Mediterranean Garden: This Garden features plants native to the Mediterranean Region which is very similar to the ecosystem of San Diego County
    1. Gazebo: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. A Rose covered Gazebo with benches and an ocean/sunset view (coming soon)
    2. Pond: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. Home to Lia Strell’s ‘A Golden Torsion’ sculpture and our Lotus plant
    3. Ceremonial Garden: Created by Bryan Morse. This garden is intended to be an intimate public space of Dymondia lawn providing optimal viewing of events, outdoor classes, children’s story hour, and weddings.
    4. Sharon Kern Culinary Herb Garden: Built by Expanding Horizons. Whimsical Culinary sculptures by artist Phillip Galshoff, a patio with tables and umbrellas and hundreds of culinary herbs
    5. Bill & Naomi Stein Medicinal Herb Garden: A wide variety of Medicinal Herbs around a descriptive sign.
    6. Labyrinth:  Created by Bryan Morse; recreating the classic Cretan Labyrinth that dates back to 1200 B.C., the Labyrinth has been constructed of decomposing granite paths enclosed by planted earthen mounds. It is anchored by Anthony Amato’s sculpture named ‘Brocken Link’
    7. ‘Chanson Joyeuse’ Patio: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. This artistic patio was created with Idaho Quartzite, natural rock and inlaid pebbles, glass and amethyst.
    8. Poet’s Patio: (coming soon)
    9. Grape Arbor: Created by Bryan Morse
    10. Futrell Patio: Patio honoring our former Board President John Futrell
    11. Restroom
  5. Pan Asian Garden: Created to be a serene environment suggestive of peace and tranquility.  It will surround a placid pond fed by a stream which courses down from the Garden Headquarters. It will also include the below listed elements
    1. Bamboo Collection: The north slope features many of the largest bamboos found in South East Asia as well as a forest of Japanese timber Bamboo
    2. Tea House: (coming soon)
    3. Pond & Stream: (coming soon)
    4. Traditional Bridge element: (coming soon)
    5. Zen Garden: (coming soon)
    6. Tibetan Prayer Flag Patio: Situated in deep shade and surrounded by Oldhamii Timber Bamboo this is a great place to pause or meditate as you explore the Garden
    7. Lanterns (coming soon)
    8. Shishi-odoshi- scare the deer (coming soon)
  6. Jungle Garden: The Jungle Garden will include a stream, waterfalls, a lake, and fern grotto surrounded by magnificent tropical trees and palms.
    1. Upper Jungle Garden
    2.  Palapa & Lawn Area: Shady and serene, this area is a great place for a picnic or a small gathering
    3. Upper Pond & Patio: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. Just inside the entrance to the Upper Jungle Garden is the source of the stream and a nicely shaded bench.
    4. Pond & Patio: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. Below the Palapa you may discover turtles in this Lilly covered pond
    5. Sub Tropical Garden: The Subtropical Garden features many of the beautiful and colorful plants that create a tropical garden feel yet thrive in North County.
    6. Lower Jungle Garden
    7.  Jungle Lake & Stream: (coming some day)
    8. Jungle Shade Garden: To the west of the future Jungle Lake is the Jungle Shade Garden. It features large Staghorn ferns and many of the Jungle floor plants that require full or filtered shade in our climate.
    9. Tropical Fruit Garden: Fruit comes in many varieties that are unusual and in some cases amazing. This garden focuses on displaying and educating our community about the wide variety of choices available to us
    10. Ivy’s Roses on Southeast Fence Line: Heritage Rose Collection
  7. California Natives: This area features plants native to the site and to Southern California at large
  8. Australasian Garden:  This Garden is themed on the plants native to Australia, New Zealand Tasmania Lord Howe’s Island and Norfolk Island. This Garden is located adjacent to the Garden House and spans the space east to the Garden Entry
  9. Conifer & Fern Garden:(coming soon)
    1. Fern Garden
    2. Moss Garden
    3. Camellia Trail
    4. Ivy’s Roses on Northeast Fence Line:Heritage Rose Collection
  10. Welcome Garden: This Garden is build around a thirty foot Obelisk which is anchored in natural rock formations. It shall also one day feature a small babbling brook cascading down into a placid pond.  This garden features a selection of some of the more interesting plants found in the other gardens.
  11. Reception Lawn: Behind the Garden Headquarters, this area is used for intimate dinners, weddings and Yoga Classes
  12. Event furniture Storage Sheds
  13. Children’s Garden: This Garden will include interactive water elements, gongs, bubble machines, a music garden, and abstract climbing sculptures and more
    1. Incredible Edibles: An interactive teaching Garden for introducing children to what foods may be grown in our climate
    2. Lowe’s Patio: Gathering & Teaching Patio
    3. ‘Tail Spin’ Kite Patio: Gathering of intimate groups
    4. Jeffrey Stein Children’s Music Garden: Interactive Garden with large instruments
    5. Butterfly Teepee: A netted Teepee covered with Passion Fruit vines to attract all types of Butterflies
    6. Totally Tubular: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons.  Sinuous series of concrete tubes for Children to play in and crawl through
    7. Dino Digs: Play on the Dinosaurs for a Jurassic experience
    8. Water Play Patio: A place for Children to delight in water play (coming soon)
    9. Nest- Living Structure: Woven live Willow trees create three dimensional nests for Children to explore. (coming soon)
    10. Dr. Seuss Garden: (coming some day)
    11. Restroom
    12. Butterfly Reflexology Patio (coming soon)
    13. Earthship: Educational Center constructed of recycled materials such as bottles, tires, found objects with a living green roof (coming some day)
    14. Rock Snake: (coming soon)
    15. Human Sundial: Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons. Stand in the correct position and your shadow will tell you what time it is. Stepping stones created by Anne Little and her volunteers.
  14. Future Retail Center including: (coming)
    1. Gift Shop
    2. Coffee Shop
    3. Retail Nursery
    4. Art Gallery
  15. Garden Maintenance Area 
    1. Lot I Created by Bryan Morse, built by Expanding Horizons
      1. Shade Houses
      2. Greenhouse
      3. Outdoor Propagation area
      4. Storage Containers
    2. Lot II (coming)
      1. Restrooms
      2. Offices
      3. Employee Locker Room
      4. Equipment Maintenance Garage
      5. Employee Parking
      6. Green Waste Recycling Container
  16. Long Term Expansion
    1. Parking Garage: Semi Underground shared use with the Moonlight
    2. Pyramid shaped Conservatory: with multi levels underground to house and display the most sensitive and rare plants in our collection.
    3. Underground Garden Headquarters/Staff Offices/Education Center/Research Laboratories

Additional Space?

By Bryan Morse

Published by Bryan Morse

Bryan Morse is the former Director of the Gardens and CEO of Alta Vista Botanical Gardens in Vista, CA. He is an Environmental Artist-Contractor with over fourty years experience in custom landscape design and construction. Morse's projects have been featured in numerous articles in Magazines and Newspapers, on HGTV, the National Conservancy's Spring Tour and on the Spring Tour of the San Diego Chapter of the Landscape Architects Association.