Gardens of Los Angeles

Description:

Encompassing more than five acres on UCLA's North Campus, this is considered by many to be one of the premier sculpture collections in the country. The garden features more than 70 sculptures by such names as Alexander Calder, Auguste Rodin, David Smith and Francisco Zuniga, just to name a few. The garden's collection is maintained by UCLA and continues to grow with each passing year, so there is usually something new to see each visit.

Description:

With more than 5,000 species of plants on eight acres, this primarily tropical and subtropical garden is one of the finest in the area. It was started in 1929, shortly after UCLA itself started in Westwood, and has since served as an important experimental garden. Among its achievements, it can boast growing vegetation like the eucalyptus, which has since become a Southern California staple. Originally called the UCLA Botanical Garden, it was renamed after Dr. Mildred Mathias in 1979, who made noted advances in horticultural studies during her almost 20 years as director of the garden. Admission is free.

Description:

This Kyoto-style rock garden features a teahouse, bridges, a shrine and a central pond, and is located about a mile away from the UCLA campus in Bel Air. It contains antique Japanese carvings and structures, some dating back more than 1,000 years. Many of the modern structures here were constructed in Japan and then transported to this site. Although admission is free, you must make a reservation to visit the garden. Visits are self-guided, but docents are also available to answer any questions you may have.

Description:

The Virginia Robinson Estate is the only home in Beverly Hills open to the public. The property consists of a modest 6,000 square-foot mansion with pristine grounds. Virginia Robinson was one of the premier party hosts in Beverly Hills. She played bridge with the likes of Fred Astaire and Charles Boyer on a regular basis. The 90-minute walking tour visits the parlor that provides views into most of the other main rooms, but the real attraction is the six acres of landscaped grounds, which include an Italian terraced hillside, a tropical area and a rose garden. The estate is located just off North Crescent Drive. Reservations must be made several weeks in advance as there are no walk-in visitors allowed.

Description:

The Fairbanks Garden located in Hollywood Forever Cemetary is a memorial garden dedicated to the legendary actor Douglas Fairbanks. The garden has a 120 feet long reflecting pool that beautifully mirrors the images of the marble sarcophagus, three marble columns and the actor's brass profile. The garden is a beautiful eulogy to the great actor.

Description:

At the north end of Exhibition Park, which isn't really a park at all, sits this sunken garden. It features more than 20,000 rose bushes, made up of more than 190 different varieties of roses. During blooming season from March to November, the smell here can be incredibly strong. This spot is popular for picnics and weddings, the latter of which is available by reservation. Admission is free.

Description:

The Wrigley Gardens are located on the grounds of the Tournament House, the mansion formerly belonging to chewing gum tycoon William Wrigley, Jr. and now home to the Tournament of Roses Association. The gardens are open to the public year-round except for Dec 31 and Jan 1. Open 24 hours a day it provides a beautiful and relaxing spot to get away from it all for a few hours. The landscaping is beautiful and features plants indigenous to Southern California.

Description:

The James Irvine Garden, also known as Seiryu-en or "Garden of The Clear Stream" is a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city. It is a mix of Eastern and Western landscaping styles and is located in a sub-ground level of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. The garden was made possible by volunteer Japanese-American gardeners, landscape contractors and nurserymen. In 1981, it won the "National Landscape Award" of the American Association of Nurserymen and presented by First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House. The park is closed to the public when rented for special occasions. Hours vary, but it is usually open. Stop by for a relaxing stroll and enjoy the beautiful landscaping and plants.

Description:

Camellias -- evergreen flowering shrubs from China and Japan -- were the passion of amateur gardener E. Manchester Boddy, who began planting them here in 1941. Today his 160-acre Descanso Gardens contain more than 100,000 camellias in more than 600 varieties, blooming under a canopy of California oak trees. The shrubs now share the limelight with a 9-acre International Rosarium, home to hundreds of varieties. This is a very relaxing place, with paths and streams that wind through the towering forest, bordering a lake, bird sanctuary, Japanese Garden & Tea House, and Boddy House art museum. Each season features different plants: daffodils, azaleas, tulips, and lilacs in the spring; chrysanthemums in the fall; and so on. Monthly art exhibits are held in the garden's hospitality house, and the Courtyard Café offers light meals daily from 10am to 3pm. Guided tram tours, which cost $3, run Tuesday through Friday at 1, 2, and 3pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 1, 2, and 3pm. Picnicking is allowed in specified areas.

Description:

The Huntington Library is the jewel in Pasadena's crown. The 207-acre hilltop estate was once home to industrialist and railroad magnate Henry E. Huntington (1850-1927), who bought books on the same massive scale on which he acquired businesses. The continually expanding collection includes dozens of Shakespeare's first editions, Benjamin Franklin's handwritten autobiography, a Gutenberg Bible from the 1450s, and the earliest known manuscript of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Although some rare works are available only to visiting scholars, the library has a regularly changing (and always excellent) exhibit showcasing different items in the collection.

If you prefer canvas to parchment, Huntington also put together a terrific 18th-century British and French art collection. The most celebrated paintings are Gainsborough's The Blue Boy and Pinkie, a companion piece by Sir Thomas Lawrence depicting the youthful aunt of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. These and other works are displayed in the stately Italianate mansion on the crest of this hillside estate, so you can also get a glimpse of its splendid furnishings. American art and Renaissance paintings are exhibited in two additional galleries.

But it's the vast botanical gardens featuring more than 14,000 different species of plants that draw most locals to the Huntington. The Japanese Garden comes complete with a traditional open-air Japanese house, koi-filled stream, and serene Zen garden. There's also an exotic Desert Garden, intriguing Jungle Garden, Bing Children's Garden (designed specifically for kids ages 2-7), and the glass-and-steel Conservatory for Botanical Science where visitors learn some of the fundamentals of botany via state-of-the-art science stations. The latest addition is a new 12-acre Chinese Garden, the largest classical garden outside mainland China and one of the largest of the Huntington's 14 specialized gardens. Highlights include a lake, teahouse, pavilions, and bridges within a landscape of plants native to China.

Because the Huntington surprises many with its size and wealth of activities to choose from, first-timers might want to start with a tour. One-hour garden tours are offered daily; no reservations or additional fees are required. Times vary, so check at the information desk upon arrival. I also recommend that you tailor your visit to include the popular English high tea served Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:45am to 4:30pm (last seating at 3:30pm). The tearoom overlooks the Rose Garden (home to 1,000 varieties displayed in chronological order of their breeding), and since the finger sandwiches and desserts are served buffet-style, it's a genteel bargain even for hearty appetites at $20 per person (please note that museum admission is a separate required cost). Phone tel. 626/683-8131 for tearoom reservations, which are required and should be made at least 2 weeks in advance.

Description:

Tucked into the hillsides of the San Gabriel Mountains, this sprawling horticultural and botanical center was formerly the estate of silver magnate "Lucky" Baldwin -- the man responsible for bringing horse racing to Southern California -- who lived until 1909 on these lushly planted 127 acres overlooking the Santa Anita racetrack. You might recognize Baldwin's red-and-white Queen Anne cottage from the opening sequence of Fantasy Island ("de plane, de plane"); the gardens are also a favorite location for movie filming and local weddings. In addition to spectacular flora (every continent is represented here), the Arboretum boasts a bevy of resident peafowl who seem unafraid of humans -- one of the best treats here is being up close when the peacocks, attempting to impress passing hens, unfold their brilliant rainbow plumage. Avid gardeners will want to visit the nursery-like gift shop on the way out. Admission is free every third Tuesday from 9am to 4:30pm.

Description:

Located on the western edge of the campus at California State University , this garden with its Japanese touch, provides a tranquil setting. Built in the name of the late Mr. Miller, the funds were contributed to the University by his wife. It remains closed in the months of December and January, though the times it is open a lot of weddings are held here. A romantic touch lies in the fact that most of the past students choose this place for a marriage function due to the sentimental value attached. The pond has a lot of Japanese fish in it and the greens stay well-maintained. Check the website for a list of closed days .

Description:

Sherman Library and Gardens is located on Pacific Coast Highway and has extensive botanical collections with examples of plant life from desert regions to tropical regions. It is a veritable outdoor museum of plants. Walk along the paths and smell the fragrant flowers and listen to the bubbling fountains. It really is an oasis that will take you away to a calmer, more peaceful place. Guided tours are available by calling the number listed below.

Description:

This garden was created between 1933 and 1934 in memory of William Wrigley Junior, the chewing gum magnate and patron saint of Catalina Island. Wrigley did much to improve the island, including adding public utilities, building new steamships, constructing the Casino building, and planting extensive plants and flowers. The memorial is set in the center of the Botanical Garden with beautiful views of Avalon Bay. The different stones used to build it all come from various parts of the island. Children under 12 are admitted free.

Description:

The Botanic Garden is devoted to indigenous California plants. More than 5.5 miles of meandering trails on 65 acres offer glimpses of cacti, redwoods, wildflowers, and much more, many arranged in representational habitats or landscapes. The gardens were established in 1926. You'll catch the very best color and aroma just after spring showers.

Description:

This secluded, lavishly landscaped 37-acre estate is renowned for exotic plants and mysterious garden paths. Named for the estate's vivacious European-born mistress and the romantic, lotus-filled ponds in her gardens, the estate reflects the late Madame Walska's eccentricity and the skill of her prestigious gardeners. She was especially fond of succulents and cacti, interspersing them artistically among native plants and decorative objects. Assembled when money was no object and import regulations were lenient (mostly in the 1940s), the garden contains priceless rare specimens -- even prehistoric plants that are extinct in the wild. Advance reservations are required. Montecito is a 5-minute freeway drive south of downtown Santa Barbara. Note: Advance reservations are required and are available up to 6 months in advance.