It was funded in part by the California State Relief Administration, created by newly elected Governor Frank Merriam in 1933 to provide jobs through municipal work projects.

[5] The UCLA Botanical Garden of the 1950s included special sections of eucalyptus and other Australian plants, gymnosperms, palms, succulents, aquatics, and camellias.

Dr. Arthur C. Gibson was hired as Director in 1980, and began a program to admit more sunlight, hence providing opportunities for many sun-loving groups of plants to grow.

Periodically, areas of the Garden were renovated to establish special collections, including Malesian rhododendrons, the lily alliance, bromeliads, cycads, ferns, mediterranean-type climate shrubs (e.g., chaparral), and native plants of the Hawaiian Islands.

The Nest, an outdoor classroom with semicircular bench seating, was constructed by the Garden staff and dedicated in 1996 to the memory of Hazel (Lisa) Kath McMurran, a UCLA alumna.

The gently sloped new paths and entrances provide access to The Nest and special collections to all visitors, including those with physical disabilities.

[9] The herbarium, which contains 150,000 dried and pressed plant specimens with a focus on California and the Western United States, is curated by Dr. Anthony Baniaga.