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WHAT IS A TOMORROW GARDEN?
The
Tomorrow Garden is an eco-friendly garden installed at local
schools, public parks, historical sites, and college campuses.
It is designed by volunteers, built by
volunteers, and funded by caring companies
that are passionate about being architects of a better day.
The Tomorrow Garden is an enduring volunteer
program created to engage, inspire, and educate the community about
conserving our natural resources.
The uniquely energizing sites provide an atmosphere that encourages
reflection on preserving and enriching the environment through water
and resource conservation, while introducing an appreciation for the
special beauty of native plants. Participation
in bringing these gardens to our communities fills individuals and
businesses alike with rich ambient pride. This pride is rooted
directly into their role as eco-activists that have chosen to do
something important, and something right for the betterment of our
world.
WHAT'S THE GENERAL THEME?
The Tomorrow Garden theme is “Healthy Choices Today Grow Into
The Dreams of Tomorrow”.
Creating a theme invites educational dialogue and insightful ideas.
It is paramount that we make
healthy choices not only regarding our use of natural resources, but
also choices regarding the other many aspects of our lives that
include concerns ranging from nutrition and fitness, to literacy,
education and the ability to achieve our deepest aspirations. As a result, the
Tomorrow
Garden is a symbol of the most vital issues of our time, the
environment and our future.
HOW IS PROGRAM FUNDED?
The Tomorrow Garden Movement is funded by eco-friendly community
conscious companies that want to give back to society and provide
sustainable giving. Our
organization has partnered with some of the best in the world to
make these gardens a reality.
WHEN IS NEXT PROJECT?
We originally started installing gardens on elementary school
campuses, expanded to public parks, and now most recently have
partnered with a University campus to highlight their eco-friendly
platform.
California State University San Marcos hosts our next event.
We are partnering with the
Vallecitos Water District, the Inter-tribal Health Council, KRC Rock, and
other national and local businesses to bring the spirit of this
volunteer-based eco-initiative to the picturesque campus of CSUSM.
Click link to read an article
North County Times Intro Article
WHY WAS CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS CHOOSEN?
As an institution of public higher learning, California State
University San Marcos (CSUSM) recognizes that it is in a unique
position to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability.
The Tomorrow Garden at CSUSM
contributes to an understanding of the changing relationships
between plants and people through education, research, and community
engagement.
Education is a critical component of the mission of the CSUSM
Tomorrow Garden. In addition
to the opportunities for plant study and observation, the garden
promotes sustainable gardening practices and the use of
environmentally-friendly garden plants.
The garden is a refuge of beauty where visitors can reconnect
with nature while being empowered to create positive environmental
change in their own lives. The garden utilizes sustainable elements,
recycled materials, and drought tolerant plants to ensure
eco-friendliness.
WHO DESIGNED THE TOMORROW GARDEN?
Michael Austin originally came up
with the concept of educating the public through eco-friendly
gardens. After years of hard work,
Michael's vision has managed to attract some of the leading talents
in their fields to join in.
One
kindred mind, is that of Greg Rubin, who is an award-winning,
premier California native landscaper designer, and owner of
California's Own. We call
Greg Rubin a landscaping rock star.
His vision for CSUSM Tomorrow Garden will gently utilize
existing boulder enclaves and honor historical plant specimens,
while introducing new native plant materials to this magical
habitat.
The
CSUSM Tomorrow
Garden
as envisioned by Greg is captured in this rendering.
Click the
picture for a full size version.
As you can see, Greg Rubins’
instincts are to parlay strengths in not only plants and boulders
but also in structures. Greg chose to integrate his shade pavilion
roofs in the Tomorrow Garden.
The design style resonates with the
ribbed barrel design motif of the McMahan House to create an
atmosphere that blends the talents of these two different artists
seamlessly.
I’VE NEVER BEEN TO CSUSM.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE ATMOSPHERE?
As you join the cadence of the road that takes you up the gentle,
lumbering climb of the Twin Oaks Valley Road, you note that your
senses have become alerted. As
the view breaks open to encompass the fullness of the campus of
CSUSM and the fortuitous setting in which it resides, it is clear
why. The buildings seem to take their place in perfect symmetry with
the sky, mountains and rich bottom-land of the Twin Oaks Valley of
San Marcos.
It seems as though, the ghost of John Steinbeck would sleep very
peacefully amongst these rolling hills.
Nearing the entrance to the University a road separates from
the main flow of students immersed in academia, to bring you up to a
solitary hilltop that is covered with a station of
trees.
The site alone is a rarity
with 360 degree views that take in the campus, the mountains, the
City of San Marcos, the dream of the Creekside and the length of the
Twin Oaks Valley.
For an aerial view click picture below:
WHAT ARE ALL THOSE BUILDINGS AND WHAT ARE THEIR USES?
Hugging this hillside above the CSUSM campus is the multiple
facility complex called the McMahan House designed by the
distinguished eco-conscious architect Robert Quigley.
The buildings were built as a gift from the McMahan family who had
conducted business in North County throughout the years with
their McMahon Fine Furniture Stores.
The facility complex, and the forthcoming Tomorrow Garden,
will be used for workshops, sculpture galleries, summit meetings,
retreats, ceremonies, dedications, concerts, performances, weddings
and receptions.
Quigley signature design elements, such as his use of bronze
barrel-ribbed roofing, arching windows, bent timber structural
supports, and use of pathways and bridges, connect the four separate
buildings and grounds into one setting of homogeny.
The intention of function is a primary emphasis for serving
the interests of the community and business sectors for a rich
variety of events.
Click here to download brochure:
McMahan House Brochure
This eco-conscious, stunningly beautiful in the day and magnificent
in the evening venue, in the years ahead, will host many of
memorable events of our lives.
All of the Quigley designed buildings utilize the most contemporary
current energy-conservation elements and are artistically imbedded
throughout. All aspects of utilizing passive solar, geo-thermal wall
massing, reclaimed or recycled glass, tile, and stone comes together
beautifully to create a one-of-a-kind setting.
Everything pools to a courtyard from which a stairway will lead to
the crest of the hill. The horizons pull you as you enter this
crowning plot of land with omni-directional views.
This site will be complementarily transformed
into a magnificently scaled environmentally-themed Tomorrow Garden
utilizing the design concepts of the renowned California Native
Design Expert, Greg Rubin.
WHAT MORE MAKES THIS A UNIQUE CSUSM
TOMORROW GARDEN UNIQUE?
Greg and the Tomorrow Garden
team have sought out a close partnership with the CSUSM Anthropology
Department and to enlist the influence and direction of the local
Native American tribes. As a
result, the Tomorrow Garden will encompass the use of native plant
species that have long been used in the daily life of the indigenous
peoples of the region for uses including, but not limited to,
basketry, culinary, ceremonial and medicinal applications.
The plant palate selections will include these
ethno-botanical selections, signature flourishes that will not only
evoke an appreciation of their natural beauty, but will also
illustrate the virtues of sustainable gardening, and water
conservation.
The CSUSM Tomorrow Garden will clearly illustrate
how we can be conscious of our abilities to work with our
environment and get rewarded with remarkable results.
Greg and the Lux Art
Institute design team recently received the San Diego Grand Orchid
Award.
Cllick to view pictures:
Lux Institute Grand Orchid Award Pictures
HOW CAN I HELP? 
Our organization needs help through funding,
volunteerism, and experts in various fields. Please contact us
so we can form a partnership beneficial to all.
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