A Garden's Legacy: Couple's Gift Ensures Grand Arbor Gardens Blooms for Generations

For three decades, Frank and Lucy Heyming have quietly shared something extraordinary with their Riverside neighbors: a five-acre botanical paradise known as Grand Arbor Gardens just blocks from California Baptist University, where mothers push strollers along winding paths, friends gather under a 200-year-old oak, and 350 trees representing 151 varieties flourish.

Now, as the couple prepares to downsize from their historic 1916 home to a smaller property near Victoria Avenue, they've found a way to ensure their life's work endures—gifting the entire estate, valued at $5.3 million, to CBU with a promise that it will remain open to the community in perpetuity.

"Five acres in the middle of the city, that's pretty tempting for any developer," Frank Heyming explained during a recent tour of the property. "We really wanted to keep this place as a botanic garden. Most major universities have their own botanic garden, so we offered it to Cal Baptist, and they said, yeah, we'd love to have it."

From Dead Orchard to Community Oasis

When the Heymings purchased the property in 1995, it featured eucalyptus and palm trees, but little else. The following year, they replanted a dead orchard with more than 80 citrus and stone fruit trees. What began as a modest landscaping project evolved into something far more ambitious.

In 2004, both Frank and Lucy became master gardeners, drawing inspiration from their travels to create themed garden areas—cactus, succulent, rose, and butterfly gardens, along with zones representing the four seasons. They built a stream with cascading fountains, a Zen garden, and a vegetable garden. They added pathways throughout, making it easy for neighbors to explore.

"The garden is a labor of love," Frank said. "We enjoyed doing it. It was fun because it was something we designed piece by piece."

That labor was substantial—each spouse estimates spending at least 20 hours per week maintaining the grounds, with additional help for mowing and hedging.

A Gift to the Community

As the garden developed, the Heymings made a decision that would define the property's legacy: they would share it.

"As the garden developed and we built paths, we thought, wow, we should share it with the neighbors," Frank recalled. "You know, basically we just kind of by word of mouth, people got the idea."

The property became a daily ritual for many residents. Mothers with babies found the winding paths calming for their strollers. Friends met for impromptu walks. The historic barn—rebuilt after a 2019 fire—hosted events for local nonprofits and community organizations, always free of charge.

"People say it's so peaceful," Lucy Heyming noted. "I feel like that is a godly thing for people to have. People need peace. People need to be near nature."

For years, UC Master Gardeners have used the barn's back area for plant sales and teaching workshops, creating yet another layer of community engagement.

The Artist Behind Riverside's Colorful Trees

While the garden represents the Heymings' collaborative vision, Frank has left his mark on Riverside in another, more surprising way: he's the artist behind many of the city's painted trees.

"I've painted about 47 trees around Riverside," Frank said, though he estimates only about half remain standing today.

He's refined his technique over the years: removing twigs, scraping loose bark, then using a heavy-nap roller on a long pole. Most of the painted trees are on private property.

Frank's artistic output extends beyond trees. A retired real estate broker, he took up sculpture after retiring in 2011. His works now stand at locations across the Inland Empire, including Riverside Community College, CBU, La Sierra University, and the Veterans Resource Center in Norco.

Many of his sculptures carry biblical themes. "Fiat Lux" (Let There Be Light), made of polished stainless steel bent to catch the light, sits on a black base representing the void before creation.

Throughout the Heyming garden, Frank's sculptures mingle with pieces the couple purchased, creating what he calls a "sculpture garden" among the fruit trees.

A Partnership for Preservation

The donation to CBU includes not just the botanical garden, but the 6,300-square-foot historic home built in 1916 by Alvin Untermyer, a lawyer and polo player. The property, featured in the book "Adobes, Bungalows, and Mansions of Riverside, California" by Esther Klotz and Joan H. Hall, originally sat on 27 acres.

Additionally, the Heymings facilitated additional property transactions with CBU that created a $1.2 million endowment specifically to support the garden's long-term maintenance.

"Frank and Lucy's philanthropic spirit shines through everything they do," said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of CBU. "Their generosity and unwavering commitment to Riverside reflect a deep-rooted spirit of philanthropy that inspires us all. We are profoundly grateful for their support."

Paul Eldridge, vice president for University Advancement, added: "Frank and Lucy's generosity speaks volumes about their character and love for this community. They're remarkable individuals and pillars of Riverside, and their impact will be felt for generations."

For Frank and Lucy, the key to the donation was securing CBU's commitment to preserve the garden's community character.

"We have a paper from Cal Baptist that says they are going to keep it in perpetuity," Frank said, ensuring the garden will remain accessible to neighbors and visitors. "It's supposed to stay for the community."

CBU takes possession of the property around January 1, 2026. While the university is still finalizing plans for how the space will be used, the botanical garden itself will be preserved as a green oasis in the heart of Riverside—a living legacy of one couple's three-decade commitment to beauty, community, and generosity.

The Heymings, meanwhile, are preparing to move to a home off Victoria Avenue—about a third the size of their current house, with a much smaller yard.

"So we're definitely downsizing," Frank said with a laugh.

But their real legacy—350 trees, winding paths, biblical sculptures, and countless memories for neighbors who found peace in their garden—will continue growing for generations to come.

More information: The Heyming botanical garden will transition to California Baptist University ownership in January 2026. Learn more at calbaptist.edu.