Securing Gamble Garden’s Next 50 Years

For forty years, Gamble Garden has lovingly cared for this historic home and garden as if it were our own. Yet the property itself actually belongs to the City of Palo Alto.

When Elizabeth Gamble deeded her family home to the City in 1971, she provided no funds or guidance for its future use. More than a decade later, a small group of visionary volunteers from the Garden Club of Palo Alto saw potential in the neglected property and partnered with the City to create a public garden for the community. In 1985, the City granted Gamble Garden a lease to steward the land, establishing a partnership that continues to this day.

Since then, Gamble Garden has been privately funded by donors and maintained by volunteers. We’ve restored and preserved the historic home and gardens, built an endowment, hosted countless community programs, and expanded our stewardship to include the small Kellogg Parkette at Waverley and Embarcadero.

Now, as we embark on our Horticultural Complex Project, Gamble Garden is seeking a new long-term lease with the City of Palo Alto. Our proposal, submitted in March 2025, requests a single 50-year agreement unifying our existing leases for the Waverley property and Kellogg Parkette, and formally including the small nursery parcel behind the horticultural offices that has supported our gardens for forty years.

On November 19, the City’s Policy and Services Committee will use Gamble Garden’s lease proposal as a case study in a broader discussion about long-term nonprofit leases. The Committee’s feedback will guide next steps before the proposal moves to City Council for review.

We will share updates after the meeting. Members who wish to follow the discussion may visit the City of Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee calendar to view the meeting agenda and details.

Thank you for helping ensure that Gamble Garden continues to flourish as a community resource, and a place of beauty, learning, and connection, for generations to come.

Information Sessions

Gamble Garden held multiple Horticultural Complex Project information sessions during the Spring and Summer 2025. Additional sessions will be scheduled in early 2026. For more information, please contact Executive Director Mica Pirie.