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‘Ribbit’ is a hit (and sticking around a little longer)

Family-friendly exhibit extended at Sonoma Botanical Garden

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JUL 31, 2024

This whimsical frog trio is part of the "Ribbit Exhibit" running through Sept. 29 at the Sonoma Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen. Courtesy Sonoma Botanical Garden

People-sized “frogs” are attracting record crowds from throughout Northern California to Sonoma Botanical Garden (SBG). Due to its popularity, “Ribbit Exhibit” will extend its wine country stay.

In its West Coast debut, the traveling show – featuring 23 whimsical frog sculptures – will now stay through Sept. 29, a month longer than originally scheduled, SBG announced Wednesday.

“We are delighted by the remarkable response to Ribbit Exhibit since its launch,” says Jeannie Perales, SBG’s executive director. “We've experienced a phenomenal 40 to 50% growth in attendance, admission revenue and membership year-over-year. This exhibit has not only expanded our family audience but also boosted membership and solidified our status as a premier destination both locally and beyond.”

Located in Glen Ellen on Highway 12, SBG is Sonoma County’s only public botanical garden. Created in a former quarry, the garden covers 67 acres with a wealth of Asian plants and California natives. About an hour away from Sacramento, it's an inviting summer day trip, surrounded by wineries.

Sculpted from copper with a naturally green patina, the Ribbit frogs are scattered throughout the botanical garden in Instagram-ready settings – relaxing on a bench, dancing next to a pond, sitting in a tree and more. Created by artist Andy Cobb, each Ribbit has its own story and personality.

Visitors can use SBG’s “Frog Finder” map to track the sculptures – and win a prize for finding all 23 frogs.

“It’s like an Easter egg hunt through the Garden, and families are loving it,” Perales says. “Seeing the delight on children’s faces when they open the treasure box of prizes is joyful. This activity has inspired visitors to explore every nook and cranny of the Garden, making their experience even more magical and memorable.”

And there’s more family fun: On Aug. 11, SBG hosts “Sunday Funday” with face painting, arts and crafts, children’s music, family yoga and more.

In addition, “Acoustic Sunsets” offers live music and family activities every Wednesday evening this summer. (More details are on the SBG website.)

SBG is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 30. Admission is $15; seniors (65 and up) $12; youth (ages 5 to 17) $8; children age 4 and under admitted free.

SBG is located at 12841 Hwy 12, Glen Ellen, CA. Questions? Call 707-996-3166 or email info@sonomabg.org.
Details: sonomabg.org.

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:

garden art Sonoma Botanical Garden Sacramento gardening summer July August family event native plants Asian plants

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Garden checklist for week of Aug. 16

During this break in the heat, feed your garden. Make sure to water before and after applying fertilizer.

* In the garden, direct seed beets, carrots, leaf lettuce and turnips.

* Plant potatoes.

* Harvest tomatoes, beans, squash, pepper and eggplants to prompt plants to keep producing. Give your plants a deep watering twice a week, more if planted in containers. Also, give them a boost with phosphate-rich fertilizer to help fruiting.

* Watch out for caterpillars and hornworms in the vegetable garden. They can strip a plant bare in one day. Pick them off plants by hand in early morning or late afternoon.

* Feed citrus trees their last round of fertilizer for the year. This will give a boost to the fruit that’s still small.

* Mulch can be your garden’s best friend – it conserves moisture while blocking out weeds. But don't let mulch mound around stalks, stems or trunks. That can promote rot.

* Camellia leaves looking a little yellow? Give them some chelated iron. That goes for azaleas and gardenias, too.

* Pick up after your fruit trees. Clean up debris and dropped fruit; this cuts down on insects and prevents the spread of brown rot. Then feed fruit trees with slow-release fertilizer for better production for next year.

* To prolong bloom into fall, feed begonias, fuchsias and container plants. Always water before fertilizing.

* Fertilize fall-blooming perennials, too. Chrysanthemums can be fed until the buds start to open.

* Prepare for a fall full of flowers by paying a little extra attention to your garden. Cut off spent blooms from roses, annuals and perennials, then give them a boost of fertilizer. Make sure to water plants before feeding. Roses will rebloom about six to eight weeks after deadheading.

* Indoors, start seedlings for fall vegetable planting, including bunching onion, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, radicchio and lettuce.

* Sow seeds of perennials in pots for fall planting including yarrow, coneflower and salvia.

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