Two years ago I travelled a long distance to see the upland Poppy 
fields in the Cajon Pass. As I neared the canyon, I passed motor 
after motor whose occupants had their arms fiUed with poppies; the 
snow-capped mountains looked down on acres of orange colored 
flowers which had been driven over and trampled in every direction. A 
priceless picture selfishly spoiled. 
The Garden Club of Santa Barbara and Montecito Wild Flower 
Committee is starting a campaign for Wild Flower Preservation. Of 
their detailed plans you wiU hear later on. Their first step is to en- 
hst the interest of the Garden Club op America. It wishes each 
member to act as press agent for this propaganda: 
"Educate tourists to reahze that California is the Nation's 
Garden." 
"The State's natural beauties must be kept for ALL to enjoy." 
" Wild Flowers must be left to seed generously in order to ensure 
the next year's blooming." 
"Buy seed and raise your own Wild Flowers." 
We, as a committee realize however, that we must find our greatest 
help at home; we must teach children to love and protect wild flowers. 
On high authority we know that "pictures and conversation" are the 
straight road to a child's interest. It is planned to give popular talks 
illustrated by colored lantern slides, and talks about travel, history, 
biography, and romance. That last is reaUy the life-story of California 
flora — a tale of adventure. The very plants and shrubs commemorate 
the names of famous botanists and explorers who visited the Pacific 
coast. 
For instance, our dainty Inside-Out flower, Vancouveria parviflora, 
recalls the old Enghsh sea captain, George Vancouver. In his journey 
round the world he made several stops at California ports; he went 
forty miles once to have a picnic under the Live-Oaks — perhaps he 
started the fashion! He brought with him that famous Scotchman, 
Archibald Menzies, who was looking for new specimens in this new 
world. And over in Paris, la guillotine was gathering the flower of 
French nobihty! How long ago it seems. 
David Douglas, another Scotchman, was our first great collector of 
new genera and species. He was modest, like the truly great. Most 
of his plants bear the names of other botanists whom he honored. 
Our beloved Baby Blue-eyes, nemophilia insignia, was his first dis- 
covery: to each newcomer who sees it today, it becomes again the 
"lovely harbinger of the California Spring." England has called it her 
most precious annual. Why did I never grow it in my eastern garden? 
Why don't you grow it now in yours? Did you know that it was this 
same ardent botanist who sent back to the London Horticultural 
Society the old-fashioned Musk, mimulus moschatus? I confess to 
thinking that our grandmothers brought it from some Devonshire 
II 
