California is home to many gardens and botanical gardens, all incredibly diverse. Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot to relax or explore and learn more about some of the world’s most popular plants, these gardens are sure to fascinate you.
California is a big state with a variety of climate zones. Each of these gardens below has a unique collection of plants, and all offer beautiful environments to enjoy. No matter your interest in nature, you should not miss the incredible gardens in California!
I lived in California for 30 years and have toured 19 of these 22 gardens. Some were visited before my blogging days so I don’t have original photos to share but I will let you know my thoughts on each of them. I’ll let you know what I love about each garden, if there are any other gardens nearby, as well as any rock star nurseries or garden centers to visit.
Table of Contents
Gardens in Northern California
1) Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is located in Fort Bragg, California, famous for its canyons, coastal bluffs, and wetlands. This is an excellent stop for nature lovers who are road tripping along Highway 1!
Why we love it: The woodland garden, fuchsias, tuberous begonias, heritage rose garden, and of course the rugged Northern California coast which can be viewed while in this garden. It’s near the charming New England-style town of Mendocino (a good place to stay), which is a 3-hour drive up the coast from San Francisco. You’ll be in or not too far from 4 famous wine counties – Mendocino, Alexander, Sonoma, and Napa as well as the Mendocino Beer Trail.
Address: 18220 North Highway One, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Photo Credit: 2) San Francisco Botanical Garden
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the US’s largest and most diverse botanical gardens. With 55 acres of landscaped gardens and open spaces, you have a lot of opportunities to explore. The garden showcases over 8,500 different kinds of plants from all around the world.
Why we love it: The rhododendron garden in bloom, the magnolias, and the Australian Tree Fern dell in the ancient plant garden. I lived in San Francisco for 20 years and visited this garden (it was then named Strybing Arboretum) many times.
It’s in Golden Gate Park so you may also want to visit the Conservatory Of Flowers, which is modeled after the famous structure in Kew Gardens, as well as the Japanese Tea Garden. You can walk or bike ride for miles in this gorgeous park as well as check out the DeYoung Museum and the Academy Of Sciences.
A fun nursery to visit in San Francisco is Flora Grubb Gardens.
Address: 1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Photo Credit: 3) The Berkeley Botanical Garden
The University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley contains over 10,000 varieties of plants from all over the world, including many rare or endangered species. The garden has undergone a lot of development over the last 125 years, becoming more focused on conservation and education of ecology, evolution, and human uses for plants.
Why we love it: The tropical house, cloud forest, and fascinating carnivorous plant house. This garden is perched on top of the hill above the UC Berkeley campus so the views are quite a bonus. Just be aware that this isn’t a flat garden and many of the paths are quite narrow.
Nearby nurseries you may want to visit: Berkeley Horticultural Nursery (I use to work here!), East Bay Nursery, and Annie’s Annuals.
Address: 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720
Related: For more photos, check out our tour of the Berkeley Botanical Gardens.
4) Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery
The garden was initially planted in 1972 by Mrs. Ruth Bancroft as her personal garden. The library is now open six days a week to serve the public. The garden contains more than 2,000 plants from around the world. It’s in the East Bay about a 45-minute drive east of San Francisco.
Why we love it: I’m a succulent and protea nut, so this garden always gave me a thrill every time I went. It’s only 3 acres so you can easily see it in 2 or 3 hours. Many of the other gardens have a gift shop, but none sell this quantity or variety of plants. The nursery here on the property is the one to visit – how convenient!
A nearby nursery to visit: Orchard Nursery.
Address: 1552 Bancroft Rd, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Photo Credit: Caitlin Atkinson, 5) Filoli Estate
Filoli, also known as the Bourn-Roth Estate, is a large estate in California’s Bay Area with formal gardens and acres of land. This historic site is both a California Historical Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is beautiful and so are the grounds.
Why we love it: This isolated garden has a gorgeous woodland setting and is well worth a visit, especially in spring for the bulb and bloom displays. It’s about an hour south of San Francisco and 15 minutes away from Stanford University. If you have some extra time, the campus gardens are a nice stroll.
Address: 86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA 94062
Photo Credit: Gardens Along California’s Central Coast
6) San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is located near the Pacific Ocean on the Central Coast of California. When their master plan is complete, the 150 acre garden will be exclusively devoted to the ecosystems and plants of the five mediterranean climates of the world.
Why we love it: I have only been here once. I loved the display garden and the discovery hike. Mediterranean plants put on a good show of flowers so there was quite a bit in bloom when I went. The town of San Luis Obispo is charming to visit and the beaches of the Central Coast are nearby.
Address: 3450 Dairy Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Photo Credit: San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
7) Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
This 78-acre garden is a beautiful place to visit for all flower lovers. It contains over 1,000 rare species and plants, making it the home of various native plants and trees. You can see views of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The stunning landscapes are a backdrop to the beautiful Santa Barbara Channel Islands.
This botanical garden is open to both four-legged friends, providing a lovely place to enjoy the gardens together.
Why we love it: This is a “natural” garden with a focus on native plants, unlike the others which are more groomed and curated. It’s set in a canyon and there are trails on both sides of the road to hike on. The main meadow has majestic views and is quite colorful when the wildflowers are in bloom.
I lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years and know the area well. The town is beautiful and it’s worth spending a few days here. Other gardens in the area include Lotusland (right below), Casa de Herrero, the Mission Rose Garden, and Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens. If you’re into Balinese-style gardens, check out The Sacred Space in Summerland.
Nearby Carpinteria has lots of growers and nurseries. You may want to check out Westerlay Orchids, Gallup & Stribling Orchids, Island View Nursery, and Seaside Gardens (they have quite a few types of gardens here to stroll through as well as plants to buy).
Address: 1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Related: For more photos, check out our tour of California Native Plant Week At The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
8) Lotusland
Lotusland, located in Montecito (the neighboring town to Santa Barbara), is a must-visit for its exotic plant collections and dramatic garden design. When Madame Ganna Walska purchased the property in the early 1940s, it became an exciting and unique site. The park features acres of gardens with an array of plants from all over the world.
Why we love it: Everything! Especially the bromeliad garden, water garden, the crazy big Staghorn Ferns (see pic below on the right), and the Dracena draco circle. Just know you’ll tour with a docent (no wandering on your own) and reservations for this garden are usually needed weeks in advance.
This is 10 minutes away from Santa Barbara, so check out the other gardens and nurseries to visit under Santa Barbara Botanic Garden above.
Related: For more photos, check out our tour of the Bromeliads, Cacti, and Euphoria gardens, the Japanese Garden, and the Tropical Garden, and Dracaena Dracos.
Address: Cold Spring Rd, Montecito, CA 93108
9) Ventura Botanical Gardens
Ventura Botanical Gardens offers guided tours of its gardens, where you can enjoy over 160 plant species and beautiful views of the ocean. The Chilean Gardens really stand out here, where you can see a one-of-a-kind Chilean Soapbark Tree.
Why we love it: The Chilean garden and the views. This is about a 1/2 hour drive down the coast from Santa Barbara so you can check out the other gardens as well as nurseries to visit in #6 and #7.
Address: 567 Poli St, Ventura, CA 93001
Photo Credit: Josh Fuhrman, 
Photo Credit: 
Photo Credit: 
Photo Credit: 
