A ribbon-cutting ceremony held on the sunny afternoon of March 20 celebrated the Friends Terrace, a space overlooking a bucolic landscape of trees and flowers in the Fullerton Arboretum and Botanical Garden that provides a unique new venue for special events. Campus leaders praised the terrace and how it came to be.
Cal State Fullerton president Ronald S. Rochon pointed out that the design and building of the new terrace was supported solely through funds from donors.
Friends Terrace is named after the Friends of the Arboretum, a support group that has raised funds for more than 50 years, said Greg Pongetti, the Living Collections Curator for the garden.
Designed by the Claremont-based Department of Space, Friends Terrace can accommodate events with more than 200 people.
“It is a beautiful covered outdoor space with 2,800 square feet of flexible space, including a covered patio area with views of the gardens,” said Tiffany Tustin-Jordan, facilities sales and rental manager at the Arboretum. Friends Terrace is ideal for weddings, corporate events, baby and bridal showers, in addition to university classes, she said.
Also present at the ceremony was the former director of the Arboretum, Greg Dyment, who had worked with landscape architects, facilities capital programs and the facilities management department to bring the new terrace to fruition. Dyment retired in 2024 after nearly 28 years at Cal State Fullerton.
“The coolest part, why we gave it the name the Terrace, is because it sits at the top of a slight incline,” Pongetti explained. “There is a wall around it that helps block some sound and we planted some trees that will become a hedge around the front of the wall. The rest of the patio is open, and it looks out over the garden into our rare fruit grove and our perennial bed, as well as the drought-tolerant landscaping that we have surrounding the space itself.”
Much of the patio can be covered by a retractable canopy, so it can be shaded or unshaded depending on the weather, Pongetti said.
The timing of The Terrace’s completion could not be more perfect — spring is the most colorful season in the Arboretum, which provides visitors with a peaceful oasis of nature.
“Springtime here is just a great time to be in the garden,” Pongetti said. “April is one of our most flowery months, I would say.”
The wisteria arbor, for instance, with its big lavender blossoms, is a popular draw for visitors. “It’s a relatively large arbor, so it makes a pretty big impact,” Pongetti said. “Our California native meadow has been looking quite nice. It’s a mixture of annual wildflowers and a lot of perennials and grasses,” he said, adding that visitors like to pose for photos in front of the blossoming peach and nectarine trees.
Another spring standout is the proliferation of bright orange poppies. “We have a lot of California poppies all over the place that are blooming,” he said. “They’re the state flower and are made to be here, so we pretty much let them grow wherever they’d like.” But every section of the garden has particular spring blooms. “You really just have to take a walk around the whole Arboretum,” Pongetti added.
The Arboretum and Botanical Garden spreads over 26 acres of land owned by Cal State Fullerton at the north end of the campus. It features drought-tolerant landscapes with plants, trees and shrubs from around the world. The Arboretum plays an integral role in numerous Cal campus classes.
It’s also the setting for popular spring events that take place this month. The Flea Market in the Garden, hosted by event planning students, will take place at the Arboretum on April 17. Overlapping that is Veggie Palooza, which will take place over three days, April 17–19. Herbs, vegetables and annual flowers — all grown from seed and tended by volunteers — will be for sale.
The Veggie Palooza is so popular that the Arboretum now features a special opportunity for members to order plants before the sale begins to ensure they buy the plants they want before they run out. All the funds from this sale, as well as other plant sales held throughout the year, help support the Arboretum. “It all goes back into the Arboretum and helps fund the garden,” Pongetti said.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Fullerton Arboretum and Botanical Garden visiting hours
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday–Sunday
Veggie Palooza
12-4 p.m. Thursday, April 17
12-4 p.m. Friday, April 18
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 19
Flea Market in the Garden
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, April 17