The Foundation maintains a small reference library that houses a wealth of vintage and contemporary books and publications on California native plants and the horticultural and natural history of the West. The core of the library was established on the book collection of Theodore Payne. Over time, members, volunteers and friends have donated additional books, pamphlets, seed catalogs, journals and other materials to help build the collection. The library now includes:
• More than 2,000 books on botany, garden design, horticulture and California natural history, with a focus on California native plants. In addition, the library includes many titles on rock and alpine gardens and mushrooms.
• Subject Files covering a wide range of booklets, pamphlets, and other ephemera on a wide range of botanical and horticultural topics. Materials are organized according to subject, institutions, people, place, plants and plant societies.
• Newsletters from Southern California botanical and environmental organizations, with many series reaching back 15 years or more.
• A Seed Catalog collection with catalogs from seed providers and plant growers from around the world.
A section of the library is available for public use during business hours in the Art Gallery. The remainder of the collection can be accessed with staff assistance. A printed catalog is on hand to help you search for books by author, subject and place.
Donations to our Reference Library are appreciated to help build any of the collections noted above. Books not currently in the collection are cataloged and made available for public use. If you are interested in donating materials, please contact a staff member for additional information.