FORT BRAGG, CA., 5/19/25 – Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Executive Director Molly Barker will retire in the fall after eight years at the helm, the gardens said last week.
Founded in 1961 by Ernest and Betty Schoefer, the gardens offer 47 acres of native and decorative plantings, as well as coastal gardens and prairies. The garden is famed for its collection of rhododendrons, which attract enthusiasts from around the world and includes a collection of hybridizations created in Fort Bragg.
During her tenure, Barker helped expand the gardens’ native plant program and increased community engagement with the gardens through events and educational activities, the gardens said.
Prior to joining the gardens, she served as director of education at the historic Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside. She is also the former executive director at Casa del Herrero in Santa Barbara.
“We are deeply grateful for Molly’s leadership, dedication to staff and stewardship of the Gardens,” said Tim Gage, president of the MCBG Board of Directors. “We will miss her dearly, but we are optimistic about the future of the Gardens and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Barker will stay on staff to support the transition and the board’s search for a new executive director. Her official retirement date is Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.