While visiting my daughter in New York City last week I wanted to see habitat or native plant gardens. Though I was not able to find a list of such gardens in the city, I spent time in the native plant garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and on a previous visit I enjoyed The High Line. Both gardens are grand as only NY can be but neither is quite the celebration of native wildlife as we have here in California. The following is a list of botanic gardens, arboretums, parks, nursery gardens, and demonstration gardens that feature native plants. If I have missed any – and I am sure I have – or given incorrect information, please let me know so I can correct the list. A pdf of the list can be found in the How To section of the WeedingWildSuburbia website.
Now my goal is to visit those parks and gardens that I have missed!
| Botanic Gardens and Arboretums (Updated: 8/5/2012) |
| Conejo Valley Botanic Garden 350 Gainsborough Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91358; Phone: (805) 494-7630 collections of native plants, oak trees and water-conserving plants |
| Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada, CA 91011; Phone: (818) 952-4400 native plant section
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| Fullerton Arboretum California State University, Fullerton, CA 92634; Phone: (714) 733-3579 Mediterranean section with plants of coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities
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| Leaning Pine Arboretum California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407; Phone: (805) 756-2161 against the hills at the north end of campus
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| The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Palo Verde Garden Center & Wortz Demonstration Garden 47-900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92260; Phone: (760) 346-5694 desert plantings
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| Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden 301 N. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia, CA 91007; Phone: (626) 821-3222 Sunset Demo. Garden with California native plant garden; old stand of Engelmann oaks
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| Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden 1236 N. Peck Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266; Phone: (310) 546-1354 drought tolerant garden featuring low-water use and California native plants
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| Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90024; Phone: (213) 825-3620 coastal sage scrub, Channel Islands and chaparral communities
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| Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711; Phone: (909) 625-8767 devoted to the collection, cultivation, study, and display of California native plants
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| San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly Quail Botanical Garden) 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024; Phone: (760) 436-3036 native plant and ethnobotanic garden; natural coastal habitat sections
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| Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Phone: (805) 563-2521 fostering stewardship of the natural world with emphasis on California native plants
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| University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens Univ. of Calif. Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521; Phone: (909) 784-6962 or 787-4650 southwestern desert and Sierran foothills sections
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| Nursery Gardens |
| Grow Native Nursery – Claremont & West LA (Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) Claremont:1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711 Ph: (909) 625-8767 ext 404; Website: http://rsabg.org/gnn-claremont (Closed 5/28 – 11/2/12) West LA: VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, Davis Ave & Constitution Ave Los Angeles, CA 90049; Phone: (424) 234-0481 |
| Las Pilitas Nursery 8331 Nelson Way, Escondido, CA 92026; Phone: (760) 749-5930 |
| Theodore Payne Foundation 10459 Tuxford St., Sunland, CA 91352-2116; Phone: (818) 768-1802 demonstration garden areas, a wildflower nature trail, and natural canyon areas
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| Tree of Life Nursery 33201 Ortega Highway, P.O. Box 635, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693; Ph: (949) 728-0685 straw bale retail bookstore, nursery landscaped with native plants
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| Habitat and Demonstration Gardens, Parks, Nature Centers |
| Alondra Park Island Native Plant Garden 3850 W. Manhattan Beach Blvd, Lawndale, CA 90260; Phone: (310) 217-8366 native plant garden started in 1998 by faculty from El Camino College
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| Arlington Garden 275 Arlington Drive, Pasadena, CA 91105 Phone: (626) 441-4478 drought resistant plants including desert and chaparral gardens
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| Arroyo Seco-South Pasadena Woodland and Wildlife Park (Friends of the Nature Park) 100 block of Pasadena Avenue (east of York Blvd. Bridge), South Pasadena, CA 91030 Phone: (626) 799-8048 3-acre wildlife park: coastal sage scrub and walnut, sycamore, oak woodland
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| Audubon Center at Debs Park 4700 North Griffin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031; Phone: (323) 221-2255 walnut savannah, oak-walnut-toyon woodland, and coastal sage scrub
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| Charmlee Wilderness Park 2577 S. Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265-2411; Phone: (310) 457-7247 native plant displays and a butterfly garden
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| Chino Basin Water Conservation District Demo Garden 4594 San Bernardino St, Montclair, CA 91763-2228; Phone: (909) 626-2711 drought resistant plants including desert and chaparral gardens
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| Columbia School Joint Use Park 12400 Columbia Way, Downey, CA 90242 school greening project, native plants surround a new DG walking & running track and a cluster outdoor exercise equipment (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park for El Monte School District)
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| Columbia Memorial Space Center 3400 N. California Ave, El Monte CA 91731; Phone: (562) 231-1200 small native plant garden on grounds of museum (no mention of it on web)
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| Downtown Gateway Park 11333 Valley Blvd, El Monte, CA 91731 pocket park that enables community access to the Emerald Necklace Trail along a major arterial road and celebrates local veterans’ service to our country (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park)
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| Durfee-Thompson School 12233 Star St, El Monte, CA 91732 landscaped trail wrapped around se corner of schoolyard features outdoor classroom and nature trail (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park)
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| E. Rowley Demonstration Gardens 4594 San Bernardino St., Montclair, CA 91763; Phone: (909) 626-2711 chaparral, desert and riparian sections
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| Eaton Canyon County Park 1750 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena, CA 91107; Phone: (626) 398-5420 coastal sage scrub, bird and butterfly, wildflower gardens in a foothill setting
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| El Alisal, the Lummis Home 200 South Avenue 43, Los Angeles, CA 90042; Phone: (323) 222-0546 low water use garden, offering a display of native and Mediterranean plants
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| El Dorado Nature Center 7550 E. Spring St, Long Beach CA 90815; Phone: (562) 570-1745 105-acres of natural habitat; trails along lakes, streams and forested areas; visitor center
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| Encanto Park Bioswale & Outdoor Classroom 751 Encanto Parkway, Duarte, CA 91010 Bioswale and trail with native plantings on west side of San Gabriel River. Part of Emerald Necklace Green Infrastruction Park Network
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| Environmental Nature Center 1601 16th Street, Newport Beach, CA 92663; Phone: (949) 645-8489 3.5 acre nature center representing 15 plant communities, LEED environmental center, programs for kids and adults, butterfly garden
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| Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve 1200 West 170th Street, Gardena, CA 90247 ; Phone: (310) 217-0681 entrance to the preserve is in Arthur Johnson Park, formerly South Gardena Park, between Normandie and Vermont, one block north of Artesia Blvd.
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| Gibson Mariposa Park 4140 Gibson Road, El Monte, CA 91731 4.3 acre butterfly-themed park featuring splash pad, recreational facilities, native plants and environmentally friendly landscaping, opened 3/2012 (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park)
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| Golden West College California Native Garden Golden West College, Huntington Beach, CA 92647; Phone: (714) 892-7711 ext. 52181 foothill woodland, redwood forest, oak woodland, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, mixed evergreen forest, Channel Islands and grassland native plants
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450 Alessandro Blvd., Riverside, CA 92508; Phone: (909) 780-4170 |
| Lashbrook Park 3141 Lashbrook Ave, El Monte, CA 91733; Phone: (626) 580-2200 1.8 acre habitat park along south bank of the Rio Hondo River; native plantings, interpretive signage, exercise and play equipment, picnic areas (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park)
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3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA 90503; Phone: (310) 782-3989 |
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5131 Carmelian Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701; Phone: (909) 980-0412 six acre, low-water use, home garden with many native plants
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1200 West 170th Street, Gardena, CA 90247; Email: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com water-wise demonstration garden located in Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve, opened June 2012, informative website
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| Peck Road Water Conservation Park 5401 N. Peck Road, Arcadia, CA 91006; Phone: (626) 334-1065 |
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6201 Winnetka Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91371; Phone: (818) 719-6465 |
| Point Vicente Interpretive Center 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275; Phone: (310) 377-5370 small native plant garden maintained by South Coast Chapter of CNPS
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Prisk Elementary School, 2375 Fanwood Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815 |
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Arroyo Pescadero, Colima Road, Whittier, CA 90602; Phone: (562) 945-9003 coastal sage scrub and chaparral
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| Rio Vista Park & Trail 4275 Ranger Ave, El Monte, CA 91732; Phone: (626) 580-2200 native plant area surrounding Tongva and Barrio History Interpretive Elements |
| San Gabriel Canyon Forest Gateway (USFS Office) 1960 N. San Gabriel Ave (Hwy 39), Azusa, CA 91702; Phone: (626) 969-1012 2.5 acre pocket park and interpretive center (Amigos de los Rios, Emerald Necklace park)
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17851 Goldenwest St. (south of Slater Ave) Huntington Beach, CA 92647; Ph: (714) 842-4772 18-acre natural sanctuary for local wildlife and haven for visitors
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| TreePeople, Coldwater Canyon Park 12601 Mulholland Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210; Phone: (818) 753-4600 trails in City of LA Park at headquarters of environmental organization, TreePeople; includes La Kretz Urban Watershed Garden
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| Valley Park, Hermosa Beach (Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden) 2521 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254; Phone: (310) 318-0280 native plant garden planted by the Hermosa Beach Garden Club |
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700 Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104 city park with mature native plantings
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| The Water Conservation Garden
12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon, CA92019; Phone: (619) 660-0614
4.2 acre, low-water use garden featuring Mediterranean plants and a few natives
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Outstanding list, Barbara. Would like to suggest a little addition. There is a lovely little native plants garden at Point Vincente Interpretive Center that is maintained by South Coast Chapter, CNPS. The site underwent hazardous materials clean up several years ago and was replanted. It's a wonderful place to visit on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Location info at this link: http://
Thanks, Janis. I will add it to the lists. I will be giving a talk for CNPS – SC chapter next month and will be sure to leave enough time to visit the park before it.
There is also a Small California native/Mediterranean/xeric botanical garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.
Great list Barbara! Makes a fun checklist for trips. Make sure to add a new one to your list, Encanto Park in Duarte – with an all native redesign just opened in Dec. 2010. The plants are big and full already! Features a lovely boulder-strewn bioswale with heron sculptures, interpretive signage and plantings representing Coast Live Oak Woodland and Southern Sycamore Riparian habitats. Stepping
Thank you all for your suggestions. I will add them to the list next week – to minimize updates. I will continue to add new parks and gardens every few weeks as they come in. It should grow into quite a big list!!!
Wow its a very good post. The information provided by you is really very good and helpful for me. Keep sharing good information..
Bryan. Just updating the park list. Encanto Park doesn't have much of a web presence. Even the city website doesn't give it much! Thanks for the links. <br /><br />Looking forward to seeing this park and the many others I am learning about.
Barbara, just remembered that little native garden we visited behind Downey Space Center after you gave your talk at Council for Watershed Health seminar last year. Nothing about the garden online, but here is Space center website: http://www.columbiaspacescience.org/
Thanks Janis. Will include it on the next go round – which will be soon. And thanks for the helpful link.
Very cool. I was wondering when someone would do this. I started putting together a Google Map of naive plant gardens and areas in the LA area. <br /><br />https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=213067600438357719109.0004b3f2e1511ed602f5d&msa=0
Just saw some lovely Native Plants at TreePeople. Coldwater Cyn at Mullholland.<br />Thank you for this list!
Barbara, thanks for a wonderful, comprehensive, informative article!!! I hadn't realized there were so many and will put them on my "must visit" list.<br /><br />Keithdude – thanks for the wonderful map. So handy!
I must have missed this post earlier. <br /><br />Valley Park in Hermosa Beach has (had) a native plant garden in honor of Theodore Payne, established in 1966. I believe it is greatly diminished, but undergoing restoration / renovation by a local garden club.<br /><br />There are open space areas in Palos Verdes where native plants can be seen au naturel. One of the easiest to access is George
Thanks, Brent. Will add your suggestions to the list.
Finally had a chance to take a look at the google map list of native gardens that Keith posted. Awesome! Thank you, Keith. There are several that I will add to my list. Do you think we could open this up so people could add to the list independently? I'm thinking this way it could really grow. Thoughts, Keith?