Alta Vista Gardens

The Alta Vista Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden located in Vista, California, United States.

History
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens was established by the Botanical Garden Foundation, a nonprofit organization in 1999 to construct gardens on city-owned land in Vista. In November 2005, the gardens' board of directors adopted a new plan created by Todd Cure', Bryan Morse, and Ron Holloway, for a collection of garden spaces and gathering spots and the Vista City Council unanimously approved the plan.

The garden was also contributed by many individuals for the design and growth of the gardens.

Butterfly habitat
The North American Butterfly Association deemed the garden a butterfly habitat and the National Wildlife Federation has designated it a certified wildlife habitat. As part of this certification, the gardens have taken a pledge to be chemical and pesticide-free. Over the years the gardens have planted thousands of milkweed plants, the host plant for the monarch butterfly. A large part of the Jungle Garden is dedicated to the creation of a sub-tropical food forest which creates habitat for butterflies and birds.

Gardens
The gardens have seventeen different zones.
 * Australian Garden
 * California Natives Garden
 * Ceremonial Garden
 * Children's Garden and Discovery Trail
 * Culinary Herbs Garden
 * Garden Labyrinth
 * Jungle Shade Garden
 * Lower Jungle Garden
 * Mediterranean Garden
 * Medicinal Herb Garden
 * Pan-Asian Garden
 * Prehistoric Cycad Garden
 * Rare Fruit Garden
 * Reception Garden
 * South African Garden
 * Upper and Lower Ponds and Gardens
 * Welcome Garden

Art in the gardens
Below is a list of artists and their work(s) featured in the Gardens.
 * Melissa Ralston: Tail Spin (2009), Blessing Tree (2010)
 * Charles Bronson: Sea Breeze (2009), Born to Run (2010)
 * Steve Bundy: Calla Lily (2009)
 * Anthony Amato: Broken Link (2009)
 * Lia Strell: A Creative Bloom (2009), Golden Torsion (2011), Sacred Ginko (2015)
 * Buddy Smith: mosaic table top (2009)
 * Mindy Rodman and Paul White: Miro Kite (2010)
 * Benjamin Lavender: Kite of Paradise (2010)
 * Fritzie Urquhart: The Constellation Tree (2010)
 * Bryan Morse: Chanson Joyeuse patio (Joyous Song) (2010), I Raggi Crescenti di Amore patio (Expanding Rays of Love) (2010), Three Easter Island Statues (2012), "Mushrooms" (2012), "Tree of Life Bench" (2014) The Mouth of Truth (2015) 'Mouth of Truth' replicated by Bryan Morse.jpg
 * Robert Rochin: Piano Pebble Chime (2010), Baobab Tree (2014)
 * John Dole: Arborescence (2011)
 * Morris Squire: Lamed (2011)
 * Phillip Galshoff: Five whimsical sculptures grace the Sharon Kern Culinary Herb Garden Chef "D", Shari Chef, Penelope Hoop, Silly Boy Trey, and Flying Chef (2012)
 * Dan Peragine: Transpersonal (2013), located just below the Cycad Garden
 * Anne Little: Human Sundial (2014) and over forty mosaic signs created with a grant from the Kenneth A. Picerne Foundation
 * Quilted Glories of the Garden - Linda Bannan: "Horse Sculpture", Melanie Chang: "Banana Leaves", Carol Clarke: "Water Lily", Lendia Kinnaman: "Dragon Fly", Carole Lee: "Kite Tail Sculpture", Cheri McClow: "Front of the Garden House", Sue Ramos: "Succulent" (2015)
 * Ricardo Breceda: Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Velociraptor, Scorpion, Two Giraffes, Agave, Spinosaurus, Serpent (2015)