Ruth Bancroft facts for kids

Ruth Petersson Bancroft (born September 2, 1908 – died November 26, 2017) was a famous American gardener. She created the amazing Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California. This special garden is known for its plants that need very little water, like cacti and succulents.

Ruth started her unique garden in the 1950s. The land was originally bought by her husband's grandfather, Hubert Howe Bancroft. Her garden was the very first in the United States to be saved by an organization called The Garden Conservancy. It has been open for people to visit since 1992.

Ruth's Early Life and Love for Plants

Ruth Petersson was born in Boston on September 2, 1908. Her parents were immigrants from Sweden. Her mother was a teacher, and her father taught Latin at a university. When Ruth was a baby, her family moved to Berkeley, California. Her father got a job at the University of California, Berkeley. Ruth was the oldest of three children. She had a younger sister and a younger brother.

As a child, Ruth loved to read. Her favorite book was Root Children, a German children's story. It was about plant-children who bloomed in spring and went back into the earth in fall. Ruth was fascinated by nature. She explored the hills of Berkeley, looking at wildflowers. She even dug up small plants to put in her own backyard garden. Her first garden had many irises. She got them from famous iris experts like Sydney B. Mitchell and Carl Salbach.

In 1926, Ruth started college at UC Berkeley. She studied architecture. She was one of only two women in the program. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it was hard to find jobs. So, she changed her studies and got a teaching certificate in 1932. This helped her find a job more easily. She taught home economics in Merced for eight years.

In the mid-1930s, Ruth met Philip Bancroft, Jr. on a blind date. Philip's grandfather, Hubert Howe Bancroft, was a successful publisher. His huge book collection was bought by UC Berkeley. Today, the special library at UC Berkeley is called the Bancroft Library. Ruth Petersson and Philip Bancroft got married on June 30, 1939. Ruth, now Ruth Bancroft, moved with her husband to his family's farm in Walnut Creek.

Ruth started planting flowers around their home. She became very interested in succulents. These are plants that store water in their leaves or stems, like cacti. She collected articles about them. In the 1950s, she bought her first succulents at a plant sale. These were Aeonium 'Glenn Davidson' plants. Her collection grew to include Agave, Aloe, Echeveria, and many types of cactus. She grew her plants in pots first, then moved them to soil mounds around her home.

Around 1954, Ruth, her husband, and their children moved into the main house on the Bancroft farm. This happened after her father-in-law, Philip Bancroft, Sr., passed away.

Creating the Ruth Bancroft Garden

The Alyogyne 'Ruth Bancroft' flower, named after Ruth Bancroft.

In the late 1800s, Ruth's husband's grandfather, Hubert Howe Bancroft, started a large fruit farm. It grew walnuts and pears. The farm operated until the late 1960s. Then, the land was changed for building houses and sold. The fruit trees were sick, so they were cut down. The soil was left dry and empty. In 1971, Ruth's husband inherited three acres of this empty land. He gave it to Ruth to make her garden even bigger. He asked that the plants use very little water. This idea led to the special xeric landscape garden we see today.

Ruth hired Lester Hawkins, a garden designer. He planned the main pond for the garden. He also added rolling hills to make the flat land more interesting. In 1976, Ruth added a "folly," which is a decorative gazebo. She moved her best succulent and cactus plants into the ground. She used moss rock to create planting beds for them.

In 1972, there was a very cold winter. It destroyed most of Ruth's garden. But Ruth didn't give up! She started replanting everything. She used special wooden frames to protect delicate plants from frost. Her very first Aeonium 'Glenn Davidson' plant survived the freeze. It is still growing in the garden today!

As the garden grew, people heard about it. Local designers and plant experts visited to see which plants could survive in Walnut Creek's climate. The garden became a place for Diablo Valley College students to learn about plants. A plant collector from Canada, Francis Cabot, visited the garden. He asked Ruth what would happen to the garden after she was gone. Cabot's wife suggested starting a non-profit group to save gardens. So, Cabot started The Garden Conservancy in 1989. The first garden they opened to the public was the Ruth Bancroft Garden. Tours started in 1992, and the garden officially became a non-profit in 1994.

Ruth's Family Life

Ruth Bancroft had three children: Peter Bancroft, Nina Dickerson, and Kathy Hidalgo. She also had four grandchildren. She lived in the main house on the Bancroft property, right next door to her daughter. Her husband, Philip, passed away in 1983.

Ruth Bancroft died on November 26, 2017. She was almost 109 years old.