Arlington Garden was intended to be part of the 710 freeway – miles of cars and gray concrete. The site was mostly devoid of trees and shrubs. Its soil was unhealthy and compacted. And it sat empty (except for invasive weeds, and litter) for decades.

A group of neighbors led by Betty and Charles McKenney (with support from the City of Pasadena) broke ground on the garden in 2005. They were inspired to create a space that celebrates Southern California’s special mediterranean climate and which shows how beautiful a climate-appropriate garden can be. Arlington Garden changes with the surrounding hillsides in rough harmony with the natural cycles of Southern California. It is not a garden that you could find elsewhere in the United States. The garden appears quite different in May – as Spring blooms fade and plants begin to enter dormancy – than it does in October or January. These changes are rooted in Arlington Garden’s philosophy of gardening: it is a climate-appropriate, habitat garden in tune with the special seasons and ecosystems of Southern California.

Over the years, the mission of the garden has evolved to include promoting urban wildlife habitat and teaching regenerative gardening techniques that do not use herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. As a result, you can hear the networks of life thrumming and chirping and buzzing around you. Arlington Garden is a unique refuge for the Pasadena community. It is a powerful demonstration of what a community can do when it dreams against the grain.

Support Arlington by bidding on this beautiful artwork by the artist, activist, and actor Billy Zane. The ruminative painting – of the Garden’s olive allee – captures the dream-like qualities of a quiet gathering place that is typically full of human activity. In this quiet moment, the luminous palette and gestural physicality reveal the garden's mediterranean bones.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of this artwork go to care for this special garden.

Billy Zane painting at Autumn in the Garden, October 8, 2023. Photo by Erin Shimazu

“Billy Zane is an American artist most often associated with his celebrated work in cinema as an actor. Starring in some of the highest grossing films of all time, as well as some of the most watched cult television experiences ever, such as Titanic, Twin Peaks and The Back To The Future and Sniper Franchises, he has over 120 titles to his credit. However, the raw authenticity of his paintings, drawings and photography which has exhibited in Los Angeles, London, Budapest, Milan, Miami, and Thessaloniki Greece, has garnered him nearly as much recognition and critical praise. His abstract expressionist paintings are bold juxtapositions of kinetic application and elegantly balanced color combination derived from both intentional and naturally occurring contradictory influences. He likes to inform the process through self imposed restrictions. Limited time and resources promote a controlled chaos and encourage "beautiful accidents," as he puts it. To achieve this, most of his paintings are created outdoors, under fleeting daylight, with mostly found and recycled materials in remote natural locations.”

Billy Zane Painting inspired by Arlington Garden