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Entry to the Gardens
The proposed design features a driveway from Mountain View Drive (access loop road to new Mountain Meadows Subdivision) at the Southeast end of the site leading north into the Gardens, and continuing across the site to a Northeast connection to Mountain View Drive. The graceful drive allows a stately entry to the formal gardens, and the more practical distancing of the garden areas from the noise and commotion of the Interstate. A small gatehouse will be located at the entry, as well as signage and information on Garden events and sponsors. One idea is to have the gatehouse be a small but well-designed structure mimicking stone cottages associated with entries to European hunting lodges. With the use of local materials by a skilled mason the structure would echo the work of countless immigrant workers who sought their fortunes in the gold mines or worked on the local railroads in Siskiyou County.
Lake
"Open water, and as much of it as the site will support" was requested of the designer by the Garden's board members, and indeed the proposed 3 acre lake is a highlight of the site. It is planned for the lake to be natural in appearance and to have its own water source keeping levels relatively constant over the seasons. The lake will be man made and managed, having a large shallow area around the perimeter with a small deep channel located near the center of the lake. While additional water could be added to increase the depth of the lake, the need for the lake to drain at the northeast end of the property would ultimately restrict the depth. Another reason to moderate the depth of the water is to encourage the growth of plants that typically live at the water's edge. These plants provide habitat for a large variety of insects and animals that will form part of the attraction to the Gardens, and provide an incentive for migrating waterfowl to visit.
Formal Gardens
While the original idea for the Botanical Gardens was a formal botanical masterpiece, the unique features of this site and the costs associated with such a large undertaking have encouraged an alternate design, presented here, which includes a smaller formal garden enhanced by the lake and by a larger native plant and habitat area. The planned formal gardens will continue to provide a satisfying showcase for the exotic beauty that is native to the region.
Created Habitat
Many types of habitat are threatened by development. The state and federal government encourage the creation of new habitat to help off-set the damage done to existing wetlands by development. The process allows for the certification of a "mitigation bank" and the sale of credits for a specific habitat type or species. Originally slow to gain recognition, the process for creating these banks is now well documented and understood by both the regulatory and the development communities. Creation of a wetlands mitigation bank within the Gardens could provide revenue for the maintenance of the Gardens as well as for construction and maintenance of the new wetland areas. However, a significant concern associated with a mitigation bank, is the required perpetual maintenance guarantee (in the form of a substantial endowment) that must be in effect before any credits may be sold. In addition, the entire permitting process is usually quite complicated and lengthy due to the number of government agencies whose approval is required. Only 20 such banks have been established in California since 1998. At the present time all consideration of wetland creation for this project has been put on permanent hold.
Interpretive Center and Conferencing Facilities
The focal point of the Gardens will be the impressive interpretive center and conference facilities located near the bridge on the shore of the lake. Serving as the entry to the formal gardens and a place to hold ceremonies and receptions, the building design will match the grandeur of its surroundings and the serenity of the Gardens. Adjacent to the indoor center will be the outdoor amphitheater designed to accommodate music and the arts as well as lectures concerning nature and the Gardens themselves. Close by are the working greenhouses. In operation these facilities would provide the seed stock and plants to support the Garden, and perhaps offer native species for sale to visitors or landscape professionals. The Garden's well-trained and capable staff would be employed to answer questions and provide tours as part of a visit to the Gardens. A green-roof for the greenhouse(s) utilizing appropriate plant-life on the roof is being considered as a potential energy-saving and educational approach for the structures.
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