List of botanical gardens and arboretums in California facts for kids

A botanical garden is like a special outdoor museum for plants! It's a place where many different types of plants are grown, studied, and shown to the public. These gardens help us learn about plants from all over the world.

An arboretum is a specific type of botanical garden that focuses mainly on trees and shrubs. Think of it as a tree park where you can see many different kinds of trees. Both botanical gardens and arboretums are important for education, research, and saving rare plants.

California is a huge state with many different climates. This means it has a fantastic variety of plants. Because of this, California is home to many amazing botanical gardens and arboretums. They help protect California's unique plants and also grow plants from other parts of the world.

What Are Botanical Gardens and Arboretums?

Botanical gardens are places where plants are grown for scientific study and public display. They often have plants grouped by where they come from or what type they are. You might see a desert garden, a rose garden, or a section for plants native to California.

Arboretums are similar, but they focus mostly on trees and woody plants. They are like living libraries of trees. Both types of places are great for learning about nature. They also help scientists understand how plants grow and how to protect them. Many gardens offer tours, workshops, and events for visitors of all ages.

Discovering Gardens Across California

California has many wonderful botanical gardens and arboretums. They are found all over the state, from big cities to quiet towns. Each one offers a unique experience. Some are known for their beautiful flowers, while others specialize in rare trees or plants from specific regions.

These green spaces are perfect for a family day out. You can explore different plant collections, enjoy peaceful walks, and learn about the natural world. Many also have special programs for kids and teens. Below is a list of some of the important botanical gardens and arboretums you can find in California.

Name	Image	Affiliation	City
Alta Vista Gardens			Vista
Arlington Garden			Pasadena
Balboa Park Gardens			San Diego
Ruth Bancroft Garden			Walnut Creek
Blake Garden		University of California, Berkeley	Kensington
Luther Burbank Home and Gardens			Santa Rosa
California State University Northridge Botanic Garden		California State University	Northridge
Clovis Botanical Garden		Clovis Botanical Garden	Clovis
Chavez Ravine Arboretum			Los Angeles
Chico University Arboretum		California State University	Chico
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden			Thousand Oaks
Conservatory of Flowers			San Francisco
Descanso Gardens			La Cañada Flintridge
Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens			Dunsmuir
Eddy Arboretum		United States Forest Service	Placerville
Edgewood Botanic Garden			Mill Valley
Filoli		National Trust for Historic Preservation	Woodside
The Arboretum at Fresno State		California State University	Fresno
Fullerton Arboretum		California State University	Fullerton
Gardens at Heather Farm			Walnut Creek
Hakone Gardens			Saratoga
Harland Hand Memorial Garden			El Cerrito
Humboldt Botanical Gardens			Eureka
Huntington Botanical Gardens			San Marino
Japanese Friendship Garden			San Jose
The Japanese Garden			Van Nuys
Jensen Botanical Gardens			Carmichael
Labadie Arboretum		Merritt College	Oakland
Leaning Pine Arboretum		California Polytechnic State University	San Luis Obispo
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens			Palm Desert
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden		Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation County of Los Angeles	Arcadia
Lotusland			Montecito
Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden			Manhattan Beach
Marin-Bolinas Botanical Gardens			Bolinas
Markham Regional Arboretum			Concord
Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden		University of California	Los Angeles
McConnell Arboretum and Gardens		Turtle Bay Exploration Park	Redding
William Joseph McInnes Botanic Garden and Campus Arboretum		Mills College	Oakland
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens			Fort Bragg
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden		California State University	Long Beach
Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium			Palm Springs
Palomar College Arboretum		Palomar College	San Marcos
Pikake Botanical Gardens			Valley Center
Quarryhill Botanical Garden			Glen Ellen
Ramirez Canyon Park			Malibu
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden			Claremont
Regional Parks Botanic Garden		Tilden Regional Park	Berkeley
Virginia Robinson Gardens			Beverly Hills
John R. Rodman Arboretum and California Botanic Garden		Pitzer College	Claremont
Rusch Botanical Gardens			Citrus Heights
San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly Quail Botanical Gardens)			Encinitas
San Francisco Botanical Garden (Strybing Arboretum)			San Francisco
San Jose Municipal Rose Garden			San Jose
San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden			San Luis Obispo
San Mateo Arboretum			San Mateo
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden			Santa Barbara
Sherman Library and Gardens			Corona Del Mar
South Coast Botanic Garden			Palos Verdes
Stanford University Arboretum (includes Arizona Cactus Garden)		Stanford University	Palo Alto
University Arboretum		California State University	Sacramento
University of California Botanical Garden		University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley
University of California, Davis Arboretum		University of California	Davis
UC Irvine Arboretum		University of California	Irvine
University of California, Riverside Botanic Gardens		University of California	Riverside
Arboretum at the University of California, Santa Cruz		University of California	Santa Cruz
Ventura Botanical Gardens			Ventura
Villa Montalvo			Saratoga
Wrigley Botanical Gardens			Santa Catalina Island
M. Young Botanic Garden			Kerman

See also

• List of botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States
• Gardens in California