PAUL REDEKER

Horticulture Specialist

After growing up on a ranch in Northern California’s wine country of Sonoma County, and heavily into Agriculture, a love for animals, and Ornamental Horticulture, it is easy to see how Paul would end up in a public garden around plants and nature. His love for animals and plants started early with experience raising livestock like hogs and beef cattle. His leadership skills developed as well leading his high school Future Farmers of America program first as Secretary and then President in his Senior year of High School. He went on to graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture, Landscape Design.

Most summers he worked at Nurseries including Cloverdale Nursery, Empire Nursery of Santa Rosa, and Navlet’s Nursery in Concord California, helping customers with plant questions and cultivating his plant knowledge. He further developed his design skill while working with several companies focusing on landscape design, maintenance, and installation. At one point in his career Paul took a detour teaching windsurfing, sailing, sports and recreation while working overseas all-inclusive resorts such as Pacific Islands Club on Saipan Island near Guam, and Club Med, Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Later, after visiting friends here in San Diego and finding his way through interviews, he answered an advertisement here at The Water Conservation Garden where he refined his full passion and love for plants, construction projects, and landscape design. Paul temporarily left The Garden to expand his career at The San Diego Botanic Garden, formerly Quail Botanical Garden for four years where he directed the grounds staff for their 37 acre property.

Now back at The Water Conservation Garden for three years, Paul is thrilled to be a part of the Garden’s unique mission of educating our community with not only plants and nature, but The Gardens unique teaching approach of inspiring behavioral change for our community interacting with our natural environment, natural resources, and improving our health and wellbeing. Paul continues to expand The Garden’s plant palette, exhibit design, care and health of plants, overall look of The Garden.