7 Botanical Gardens to Visit This Spring in California
The Golden State’s botanical gardens are home to some of the most diverse collections of flora on the planet. Both native and exotic plants thrive in the California sunshine and the myriad of ecosystems across the state. Some of the botanical gardens were cultivated for botanical conservation and research while others flourished from the whims of private collectors. In either case, these verdant landscapes invoke a sense of tranquility and awe. Below are just some of California’s best curated gardens to visit this spring.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
The verdant Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is a rare jewel stretching across 47 acres of coastal headlands. Since the 1960s, the non-profit gardens have cultivated a wide variety of plants in harmony with Northern California’s coastal ecosystem. Rhododendrons, camellias, and magnolias tower over lovely displays of dahlias, begonias, and roses. The gardens also feature nationally recognized collections of conifers, heaths, and heathers. Looping paths lead guests through formal gardens, coastal pine forests, fern-covered canyons, and oceanside bluffs strewn with wildflowers. Spring is the best time to see the garden’s 124 species of rhododendrons in bloom. The annual Rhododendron Show takes place the first weekend in May. Through the summer and fall months, the Mae E. Lauer Display House showcases extravagant begonia blossoms. The Dahlia Garden is another favorite with over 150 varieties blooming between June and October.
Where to Stay
Just a five-minute drive north, Noyo Harbor Inn features beautiful gardens of its own cascading down to the tranquil Noyo River. Five minutes south in Mendocino Village, Alegria Oceanfront Inn & Cottages offers two free tickets to the botanical gardens with any three-night stay between April and June. Also in the village, Inns of Mendocino is a collection of three unique inns, including the Packard House with its verdant courtyard, the coastal-inspired JD House with an English garden, and the luxurious Blue Door Inn. A bit further south, the historic Little River Inn offers sweeping ocean views and discounted tickets to the botanical gardens. Also in Little River, both the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek and Cottages at Little River Cove offer pet-friendly lodging with beautiful gardens and ocean views.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Garden
To walk amid the gardens at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Garden is to be transported far from Los Angeles’ dense urban sprawl and tangle of freeways. The 207-acre estate in Pasadena is home to over a dozen themed gardens with botanical collections spanning six continents. In the Jungle Garden, you can wind your way through a tropical understory of orchids, ferns, palms, and vines that climb high into a forested canopy. In the Desert Garden, you can marvel at the 500 yellow-spine, spring-flowering Golden Barrel cacti, the largest of which are more than 85 years old. The Japanese Garden enchants visitors with picture-postcard views of its distinctive moon bridge, koi-filled ponds, and historic Japanese House nestled amid a verdant sanctuary. In the Rose Garden, 1,300 different varieties of roses cascade over pergolas and alongside walkways in a profusion of color, filling the air with their sweet perfume. The Huntington is a collections-based research and educational institution founded in 1919 by railroad and real estate magnate Henry E. Huntington and his wife Arabella. Two other stunning botanical gardens–Descanso Gardens and the Los Angeles County Arboretum–are both just a short drive away.
Where to stay
Less than four miles from the Huntington and less than two miles from Pasadena’s Old Town district, The Bissell House is a lovingly restored 1887 Victorian mansion. Located in a residential neighborhood in South Pasadena, the inn features six beautifully appointed guest rooms, flowering gardens, shady porches, and an inviting pool.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
A verdant oasis nestled within a bustling cityscape, the 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park is home to more than 8,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. The garden’s prized collection of rare and historic magnolias bloom in a profusion of pink and white from mid-January through March. Beginning in April, the rhododendrons steal the show while the California Native Garden bursts forth with colorful poppies, irises, and other wildflowers. Other highlights include the sweet-smelling blooms in the Fragrance Garden, the Australian Tree Fern dell in the Ancient Plant Garden, and the peaceful, Japanese-inspired Moon Viewing Garden. The garden offers free admission every morning from 7:30–9 a.m. (enter through the Main Gate) and on the second Tuesday of every month, plus select holidays. Also located within Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers and the Japanese Tea Garden are both within walking distance of the botanical garden.
Where to stay
Directly across from Golden Gate Park, Stanyan Park Hotel is an affordable, elegantly restored, 1883 Beaux Arts-style hotel. Nestled between the Castro and the Mission, Parker Guest House offers a relaxed, convivial atmosphere and a secret backyard garden. Just three blocks from the iconic Painted Ladies at Alamo Square, Chateau Tivoli is a meticulously restored 1892 Victorian mansion. The delightful and moderately priced Cornell Hotel de France offers a Parisian escape in the heart of San Francisco.
Filoli Historic House & Garden
Filoli Historic House & Garden is an enchanting estate nestled on 654 acres on the slopes above Silicon Valley. Originally built in 1917 as a private residence, the property is considered one of the finest remaining country estates of the 20th century, featuring a 54,000+ square-foot Georgian revival-style mansion, 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens, a 6.8-acre Gentleman’s Orchard, and hundreds of acres of land with five distinct ecosystems. One of the most beautiful features of the estate is the Walled Garden. Roughly an acre in size, the Walled Garden is enclosed within 10-foot-high brick walls. Clipped hedges separate it into many smaller, ornamental garden rooms, each intended to be enjoyed as an individual experience. Blossoming crabapple and cherry trees add to the Walled Garden’s ephemeral beauty in the spring. Elsewhere on the grounds, winding paths lead through spring daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths while summer displays feature zinnias, roses, and salvias. The gardens host a myriad of events including elegant tea parties, tours, concerts, and more. Reservations are required.
Where to Stay
Hidden away in a wealthy residential suburb, the Atherton Inn offers home-away-from-home creature comforts and hearty breakfasts prepared each morning. In downtown Los Altos, the romantic, French-chateau-inspired Enchanté Boutique Hotel offers a taste of Paris in the heart of Silicon Valley with artfully decorated rooms and an enchanting French restaurant. Set in the redwoods, the Canyon Ranch Woodside is an inspiring wellness retreat purpose-built for outdoor adventure, mind-body connection, and a joyful sense of community and self.
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Lotusland is a stunning 37-acre botanical garden in the hills of Montecito. It is home to more than 3,000 species of plants, many of them rare or endangered. The Garden is the former estate of well-known opera singer and socialite, Madam Ganna Walska. Walska purchased the property in 1941 and spent the following 43 years transforming it into a unique horticultural nirvana now recognized as one of the world’s best gardens. With over 20 distinct gardens, the dramatic design leads visitors from a sea of blooming cacti to lush gardens brimming with bromeliads, through rare collections of ancient cycads, and alongside magnificent displays of lotus flowers and exotic waterlilies. The transition from one garden to the next is seamless. Other highlights include an enormous collection of succulents, whimsical topiaries, an enchanting Japanese garden, and the garden’s newest additions: a palm collection and an insectary garden. Reservations are required. Just a few miles away, the 78-acre Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is another botanical delight featuring native plants of California.
Where to Stay
In the posh seaside enclave of Montecito, the Montecito Inn has been rolling out the red carpet for guests since 1928. The legendary San Ysidro Ranch is a secluded hideaway on 550 acres offering privacy, peace, and tranquility in an idyllic setting. Overlooking the ocean in Summerland, the Inn on Summer Hill is an intimate, upscale bed and breakfast inn with ocean views from many of its rooms. Located directly across from East Beach, the Santa Barbara Inn elevates Santa Barbara’s classic Spanish-Colonial style with an elegant coastal flair. Also near East Beach, the newly renovated Blue Sands Inn supports and showcases the work of local artists and artisans.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
The 34-acre University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley is one of the most diverse landscapes in the world, with over 10,000 types of plants including many rare and endangered species. Organized geographically, the garden features nine regions of naturalistic plantings from six different continents, along with a major collection of California native plants. The Garden was established in 1890 and its living collections are invaluable for international research and conservation. The Chinese Medicinal Herb Garden—which consists of over 100 herbs—is alone worth the visit; the horticultural and landscape plants here are commonly used in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine. The English-style Garden of Old Roses is another paradise, overflowing with roses, hollyhocks, foxgloves, petunias, and penstemons. The garden also hosts many programs and workshops throughout the year including houseplant propagation, butterfly walks, nature journaling, and tai chi classes.
Where to Stay
Less than two miles from the gardens, the Berkeley City Club is a historic hotel and private club designed by Julia Morgan. The hotel blends Moorish and Gothic architectural elements and features a heated indoor swimming pool set beneath a vaulted ceiling with original tilework. Directly across the street from the UC Berkeley campus, the historic Bancroft Hotel is an affordable option that was thoughtfully renovated with numerous eco-friendly features.
Sonoma Botanical Garden
A hidden gem nestled in the heart of wine country, Sonoma Botanical Garden showcases the native plants of two global biodiversity hotspots: Asia and California. Paths meander through woodlands forests, vibrant blooms, and alongside tranquil ponds filled with water lilies. Along the newly opened California Oaks Trail, purple lupine sprouts above the green grasses of early spring while rhododendrons burst into bloom with reds, pinks, and whites. In mid-spring, Chinese Tulip Trees blossom overhead while native California wildflowers carpet the chaparral hillsides. By late spring, the delicate white blooms of the Japanese Snowbell are on full display while Yellow Mariposa Lilies rise among the grasses of the oak savanna. Summer brings a myriad of colorful blossoms including lilies, dogwoods, roses, and more. Visitors to the garden can enjoy a wine country picnic in the shade or hike to the upper reaches of the garden for scenic vistas of Sonoma’s rolling hills.
Where to Stay
Just a mile away, the Gaige House is an Asian-inspired hideaway featuring suites with private Zen gardens and a yoga and meditation alcove. Five minutes up the road, the newly renovated Kenwood Inn & Spa is a luxurious retreat reminiscent of a Tuscan estate. Within an easy stroll of the historic Sonoma Plaza, the Inn at Sonoma exudes a casual vibe and features a rooftop deck with a hot tub. A bit further afield in Napa, the Candlelight Inn is a 1929 English Tudor-style estate with beautiful gardens, a swimming pool featuring a wisteria-draped arbor, and romantic guest rooms.