Thanks to California’s lush weather, the state is pretty much in bloom year-round—and with just about every flower or plant species you could imagine, too. As a result, the West Coast destination also has no shortage of whimsical botanical garden sites scattered all throughout the state, filled to the brim with lush trees, florals and garden-friendly creatures galore.
Here are the prettiest botanical gardens to visit for a more educational excursion on your next jaunt up the state.
California Botanic Garden
Claremont
Dedicated entirely to highlighting (and celebrating) the native plants of the state, California Botanic Garden provides a lush and educational glimpse into the bustling plant life of the Golden State’s ever-evolving nature landscape. For more information, visit www.calgb.org.
San Francisco Botanical Gardens
San Francisco
This 55-acre museum and botanical garden—located right within Golden Gate Park—is blooming with life, landscaped gardens and no shortage of plant species from around the world. For more information, visit www.sfbg.org.
Descanso Gardens
La Cañada Flintridge
With 150 acres of gardens, woodlands and chaparral, La Cañada Flintridge’s Descanso Gardens has established itself as a worldwide retreat which is flourishing—practically year-round— with colorful botanical collections and whimsical horticultural displays. For more information, visit www.descansogardens.org.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Santa Barbara
As one of the state’s most luscious cities, it should come as absolutely no surprise that the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden also measures up as one of the state’s can’t-miss botanic garden destinations. Make your way through the living museum’s wide array of sectional displays, horticultural showcases and even extensive library collections for a lesson in California’s nature scene. For more information, visit www.sbbg.org.
San Diego Botanic Gardens
San Diego
San Diego’s Botanic Gardens empowers California natives, transplants and tourists alike to embrace the value of the natural world via an accessible, innovative and ever-evolving plant landscape—accented with the occasional floral bush and rose garden, or two. For more information, visit www.sdbgarden.org.