Golden State native beauty
Spring blooms in the California Garden
Blooming Matilija poppies
Spring and summer show-stoppers
Descanso’s California Garden devotes 8 acres to the carefree, subtle beauty of Golden State native flora. The best time to view blooms is in spring and summer when visitors will see the sunny yellow flowers of the desert-dwelling palo verde tree, bright orange California poppies, deep blue ceanothus, and creamy buckeye.
Don’t miss the exuberant early summer Matilija poppies, with their jumbo, dramatic “fried-egg” flowers atop lanky stalks. There are also the monkey flowers, baby blue eyes, and fairy dusters — natives with names that are as charming as their blossoms.
Late summer and fall — go subtle
The garden shifts to display a serene canvas of greens, grays, and browns in late summer and fall as California native plants go dormant to survive the hot, dry season.
Early native plant design and advocacy
Opened in 1959, the California Garden was designed by the legendary Theodore Payne, a nurseryman and native plant advocate ahead of his time. He understood and elevated the carefree beauty of landscapes cultivated with climate-appropriate — and frequently aromatic — plants.