Cultivating an Abundant Future

For Marie Herlihy, president of Associated Foundations Inc., this project is the culmination of her longtime commitment—which she shared with her late husband, Barry—to support The Huntington and further education for people of all ages. Through the foundation, the couple made numerous gifts to The Huntington over their 40 years of involvement, including a significant grant to establish the Associated Foundations Inc. Endowment Fund for the Teaching Greenhouse and the Barry H. Herlihy Horticultural Pavilion. The foundation’s recent, marvelous $2.5 million gift has funded the newly created Kitchen Garden and its internship program, both of which are key elements of the Experiential and Teaching Gardens.

The Experiential and Teaching Gardens encompass approximately 15 acres—bordered by 6 acres of Henry E. Huntington’s original fruit orchards to the east and by the Plant Sale Nursery to the west. In addition to the spaces funded by Associated Foundations Inc., the gardens include the beloved Helen and Peter Bing Children’s Garden and the James P. Folsom Experimental Ranch Garden. The gardens, along with numerous educational spaces within the Frances Lasker Brody Botanical Center, provide myriad opportunities for interactive learning, growing, and other educational activities for students, families, interns, garden enthusiasts, professionals, and researchers.
When Jim Folsom, former director of the Botanical Gardens, first started talking to the Herlihys about the Experiential and Teaching Gardens, Marie notes that it was her husband’s dream to be part of it. “Barry would be ecstatic at the results,” she says. “We were thrilled to provide the endowment that will help further The Huntington’s botanical education programs for years to come.”