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.
Join us for a guided walking tour and see our California native blooms. This tour is offered daily, April 22-27, from 11am–noon. Meets at Center Circle. Free with admission, no registration required.
Come join our monthly walk for birders of all levels. Bring binoculars! Keep your bird count tallied on the updated and now downloadable Descanso bird checklist. No reservations required, exclusively for Descanso Gardens members.
Join our week-long celebration of Earth Day and our native plants from April 22–28. View displays created by Descanso horticulture staff that celebrate our native plants, including our majestic oaks. Free with admission, no registration required.
Focusing on Descanso Gardens’ magnificent heritage coast live oaks, Trees Talk explores the hidden network that allows trees to communicate with one another. This beguiling exhibition showcases touchable and interactive elements, drawing on actual wood taken from oaks that tragically fell during a severe storm in 2023. Visitors can investigate acorn sprouts that show how […]
Focusing on Descanso Gardens’ magnificent heritage coast live oaks, Trees Talk explores the hidden network that allows trees to communicate with one another. This beguiling exhibition showcases touchable and interactive elements, drawing on actual wood taken from oaks that tragically fell during a severe storm in 2023. Visitors can investigate acorn sprouts that show how […]
Focusing on Descanso Gardens’ magnificent heritage coast live oaks, Trees Talk explores the hidden network that allows trees to communicate with one another. This beguiling exhibition showcases touchable and interactive elements, drawing on actual wood taken from oaks that tragically fell during a severe storm in 2023. Visitors can investigate acorn sprouts that show how […]
Join us for songs, puppets and of course books! Great for children ages 2–7 with a caregiver. Meets at Feather Falls in the Camellia Forest, which is near the Main Lawn. No registration required, free with admission or membership.
Focusing on Descanso Gardens’ magnificent heritage coast live oaks, Trees Talk explores the hidden network that allows trees to communicate with one another. This beguiling exhibition showcases touchable and interactive elements, drawing on actual wood taken from oaks that tragically fell during a severe storm in 2023. Visitors can investigate acorn sprouts that show how […]
Focusing on Descanso Gardens’ magnificent heritage coast live oaks, Trees Talk explores the hidden network that allows trees to communicate with one another. This beguiling exhibition showcases touchable and interactive elements, drawing on actual wood taken from oaks that tragically fell during a severe storm in 2023. Visitors can investigate acorn sprouts that show how […]
This class is sold out Join artist Virginia Hein for a sketch walk through the gardens on Thursday, May 2 from 5–6:30pm. This class is designed as an introduction to quick location sketching and each participant is given a small panorama sketchbook and waterproof pen (included in class price). Bring a spirit of curiosity, play […]
Come explore, play and create with us at Descanso Gardens! Families with young children (age 2-5 years old) will enjoy doing arts and crafts and nature exploration together each month. No registration required, free with admission.
The Ruth Borun Nursery and Propagation Center at Descanso serves as the backbone for growing, protecting, and enhancing the botanical collections. From growing annual plants for the Promenade, to establishing new varieties of native California species, to “backing up” and saving clones of our historic lilac, camellia, and rose varieties via rooted cuttings, the nursery […]
