One of the best things about living in Los Angeles is having access to such a diverse and stunning assortment of gardens and green spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy. The Rose Garden in Exposition Park, the Central Garden at the Getty Center, and more than a dozen gardens at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens are just a few of L.A.’s most recognized attractions. Beyond these well-known spots, there are also some other places to venture off to see hidden gem gardens scattered across the city.
Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
This great library and art collection, gifted to the city by railroad magnate Henry E. Huntington, is today one of Los Angeles’ most famous attractions. There’s plenty to see between the library’s collections, the art, and the beautiful outdoor settings to fill an afternoon indeed, it’s probably best handled at a leisurely pace rather than a frenetic rush. Almost every inch of the estate’s grounds and collection is significant so you should visit here. You can choose United Airlines Booking Flight to reach there easily here you can also see a Gutenberg Bible to an elegantly arranged Japanese garden.
Descanso Gardens
More than 600 species of camellia (best viewed between the middle of February and early May, when roughly 34,000 of the plants are in bloom) and five acres of roses make up this lovely monument to Southern California’s horticultural magic. There are also orchid, lilac, fern, and California native plant areas, as well as a tea house built by the Japanese-American community and surrounded by cherry blossoms during the season.
Kyoto Gardens
The DoubleTree by Hilton Los Angeles Downtown, located in Little Tokyo, has a beautiful haven on its rooftop, the picturesque Kyoto Gardens. The garden is a precise reproduction of a historic Japanese Garden in Tokyo that was originally constructed for the 16th century samurai lord Kiyomasa Kato. It spans a half-acre of groomed foliage, tumbling waterfalls, and peaceful ponds. Kyoto Gardens is one of L.A.’s most popular event and wedding sites, including the outdoor Upper and Lower Terraces, as well as the Thousand Cranes room, which offers breathtaking views of the park and skyline.
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden
Yes, it’s an arboretum, but Angelenos remember it fondly as the spot where all the peacocks hang out, but the plants are the actual stars. Dragon trees from Australia, Africa, Madagascar, and the Canary Islands are part of their biogeographical collections. They include ten botanical gardens, including an aquatic garden with water lilies and a waterfall, a tropical greenhouse with hundreds of orchids and other tropical plants, and the Meadowbrook garden, which is home to over 60 magnolia trees and offers scenic views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden
On Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as Sunday afternoons, this approximately two-acre private Japanese garden and traditional teahouse opens its doors to the public. The garden, which was built in the late 1930s and is centred around a Japanese tea house, has two ponds, four bridges, and a flowing waterfall. After a fire in 1981, the current structure was painstakingly repaired; the original was designed and built in Japan by landscape designer and artisan Kinzuchi Fujii.
Amir’s Garden, Griffith Park
Amir’s Garden, tucked away on a steep hill in Griffith Park, is a labour of love that hikers and equestrians both enjoy. Amir Dialameh, who toiled on the shady grove for 32 years, left behind the five-acre garden.
Before a massive brush fire ravaged the area in 1971, Dialameh, an Iranian native, climbed the Mineral Wells trail through Toyon Canyon on his way across Griffith Park. He was driven to action by the sight of the charred landscape. Dialameh cleaned the burnt tree trunks after gaining authorization from local officials. He transformed the desolate hillside into a gorgeous oasis by planting pine and jacaranda trees for shade, as well as rose bushes, geraniums, oleander, and yucca. Dialameh also added colourful wooden benches and stairwells to the picnic area. In 2003, Amir Dialameh passed away. Today, volunteers and volunteer groups maintain his gift to Los Angeles, with help from City of Los Angeles Park Rangers and park maintenance staff.
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
The zoo features 15 separate collections with over 800 different plant species since becoming a registered botanical garden in 2003, allowing you to experience the flora and wildlife as it would be in nature. The plant collections are organised by their native habitats and then matched to the zoo’s numerous regions, including North and South America, Africa, and Asia. Fun fact: it’s also a plant rescue centre where illegally imported plants, such as the cycad collection at the main zoo’s entrance, are transported after being confiscated by the authorities.
Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden
UCLA’s “living museum,” a seven-and-a-half-acre garden that simultaneously acts as a research facility, is open to the public. The free and open-to-the-public plant collection includes Southern California and Hawaiian natives, subtropical woodlands, an ancient forest, and a variety of flowers that bloom all year (lucky bean trees, bush lilies, California buckwheat, Bruce’s Dwarf, and Natal Bottlebrush are just a few of the plants that will bloom in March). Don’t miss out on a Zen moment in the outdoor classroom (where a giant Ginkgo biloba tree provides shade) and a visit to The Stream’s turtles and koi.
Virginia Robinson Gardens
The historic Virginia Robinson Gardens, tucked away behind the Beverly Hills Hotel, is one of the city’s original estates and was previously the home of department store owners Virginia and Harry Robinson. (They were also famed party hosts, with Marlene Dietrich, Fred Astaire, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor among their visitors.) A rose garden, an Italian terrace garden, a pool pavilion, and an “awe-inspiring Australian King Palm forest” are among the features of the 1911-built home, which spans six acres.
South Coast Botanic Garden
This 87-acre South Bay botanical garden is located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s northeast edge. Along with more specialised sections like miniature Japanese and desert gardens, you’ll find a mix of Southern California vegetation, from fuchsia to the tangled roots of Moreton Bay Fig trees. It may not be as magnificent as some other gardens, but the modest admission fee is well worth it.
Arlington Garden
Arlington Garden, Pasadena’s first dedicated free public garden, was established in 2005 on the site of the old Durand Mansion. Thousands of California native plants, including poppies, sunflowers, cactus and succulents, orchards of orange and olive trees, and many more, may be found in the garden. For children, this is a nice place so you can come with your children any time choose one of the best offers on Spirit Airlines Booking Flight to reach this place.
There are also a number of benches and tables, as well as birdbaths and statuary, in Arlington Garden. As part of Yoko Ono’s Wish Trees initiative, 21 crepe myrtle trees were given and permanently put at Arlington in November 2008. In October 2010, the garden created a seven-circuit classical labyrinth.
Greystone Mansion and Gardens
While the 46,054-square-foot Doheny Estate is a work of art in and of itself, horticulturists will love the mansion’s surrounding Gothic and neoclassical landscapes, which were planned by Paul G. Thiene. There’s plenty of nature to enjoy here in the springtime and beyond, from finely maintained lawns and exquisite topiaries to hillsides carpeted in daisies. The best part is that it’s completely free and accessible to the public.
