Case Study: Camp Pendleton Veterans Memorial Garden:

On June 22, 2005 the docents of Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores presented the owners of Tree of Life Nursery with a plaque and a verbal “Muchas Gracias” for their generosity in donating over 1200 containers of California native plants to the Camp Pendleton Veterans Memorial Garden.

History and Museum Officer Faye Jonason had the idea to place all of the Veteran memorials in one central location and to create a Veterans Memorial Garden She had the foresight to choose an ideal site for the garden, situated next to the NCO club with an ocean view. Most importantly she asked docent Bob Warrick, a retired rancher and farmer, to take over the restoration of the garden.

Mr. Warrick approached co-owner Mike Evans Tree of Life Nursery in March and explained his plans to restore the Veterans Memorial Garden using California native plants. Because of Mr. Warwick’s enthusiasm and vision, as well as the opportunity to support the Marines, Tree of Life Nursery became involved in the project. When co-owner Jeff Bohn visited the site he was surprised to find that the site was more than ready to be planted. A week later Tree of Life Nursery delivered the 1200 California Native plant donation. Jeff Bohn and employee Monique Miller helped with placing the plants, and then, with the help of active Marines, a garden previously overrun with weeds transformed into a beautiful native garden that Camp Pendleton and the Marines can be proud of.

Helping out with this project gave Tree of Life Nursery a unique opportunity to show our appreciation and support to the Marines, as well as an opportunity to be a part of the long history between Camp Pendleton and the Rancho Mission Viejo, which is where Tree of Life Nursery is located. We appreciated Mr. Warrick’s tireless leadership and the great opportunity to show our appreciation to our armed forces.