Plan an excursion through our urban oasis of cultivated gardens and nearly wild, natural landscapes. Set aside a smidge of extra time for unexpected garden secrets and delights along the way!
Come to Descanso Gardens to experience, learn, and expand with an activity, class, program, or event designed to inspire.
Discover our world-class botanical and horticultural wonders and how we care for them.
Dive into a wellspring of opportunities for kids and adults to learn, observe nature, and participate in the garden.
As a non-profit public garden, we welcome you to join us in supporting our mission through membership and giving. With you, we grow in gratitude!
At Descanso Gardens we connect people with nature and one another. Read about our rich history and future plans to preserve the beauty and heritage of the gardens.
After-hours and daytime events with programs designed to connect garden visitors of all ages to nature. Join us for festivals, immersive installations, music, workshops, tours, and more.
Please note that this tour has been postponed to Saturday, Jan. 27 Join us on Jan. 20 from 11am–noon for a walking tour. Learn about Descanso’s historic camellia collections and the little-known stories behind many of the camellias currently in bloom. Included with admission or membership, no reservations required.
Join us on Jan. 27 from noon–1pm for a walking tour. Learn about Descanso’s historic camellia collections and the little-known stories behind many of the camellias currently in bloom. Included with admission or membership, no reservations required.
Summer in SoCal is the season of snakes, but don’t be scared, be smart! Join Natural History Museum Senior Manager of Vertebrate Living Collections, Leslie Gordon, for a meet and greet with some live animals on Saturday, June 15 at Mulberry Pond. Learn some basic identification and other fun facts about these neat neighbors. No […]
Make your own art piece and learn more about the Japanese Edo period on Saturday, July 6 at the Boddy House. Participants will explore the Inspired by Edo national student art competition alongside the people who designed it. This workshop includes information about Edo era art depicting nature, an in-depth look at the competition finalists, […]
Join us for an informative talk on California native butterflies with Diana Nightingale on Saturday, July 20. After the talk, Diana will lead a search for butterflies within the garden. $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Advance registration required, click here to register. About Diana Nightingale Diana Nightingale is a former Descanso Gardens horticulturist. She […]
Descanso Gardens is a birding hot spot! Join naturalist Thania Jacqueline Bejarano for this bilingual (English/Spanish) program to get started on your birding journey on Saturday, August 10. We’ll first meet in the Courtyard at 9:30am, head into a classroom to learn some birding basics, and then it's off to the gardens to observe birds […]
Please note that this class is sold out Learn Kokedama, the centuries-old Japanese art of growing plants in a moss-covered soil ball, with us on Thursday, August 15. Led by Descanso gardener Jenny Flores, this crafting workshop will lead students in creating their own Kokedama houseplant to take home. Meets in the Japanese Garden. All […]
Want to learn how to identify plants? Join Autumn Ayers, our Garden Records and Collections Manager, to learn how to recognize the plants around you on September 21 from 10–11:30am. This class is geared towards new learners. It starts with an indoor presentation covering terms and then a walk to learn some basic species found […]
Join Omar Alui for an informative talk on Descanso bird habitats and a related search for birds in the garden on Saturday, October 5. See how bird life changes in […]
Experts from the County of Los Angeles will be on hand in the Courtyard to discuss the goldspotted oak borer, an invasive insect impacting oak woodlands throughout Southern California. No reservations required. Photo © Mike Lewis
Mark your calendar for October 21! Visit Descanso Gardens on this special day for homeschools and enjoy free entry, education materials, and a great day in the gardens. Free for all students and one adult per student. Advance registration required, register here.
Join us for Intro to Nature Journaling with artist and educator Michelle Antonisse on Saturday, November 23 from 1–3pm. Learn how scientists and artists have used illustrative and descriptive journaling to explore the natural world. We will start with the history, uses, and many styles of this method. Then, we will venture outside for a […]
