Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
Paradise Falls
October 6, 2022
Wildwood Regional Park
October 6, 2022
Located in Thousand Oaks, California, Conejo Valley Botanic Garden offers a relaxing, hillside horticultural retreat. It first opened in 1976, and has since been maintained by volunteers. The garden features 33 acres of plants and natural terrain. It is open seven days a week and is free to enter.
The Garden features fifteen specialty gardens. The Desert Botanical Garden features cacti, desert trees, and succulents. The Herb Garden features medicinal herbs and aromatic mint herbs. It is also home to a koi pond and a Japanese garden. The Children’s Garden is a separate area where children can play and interact with plants. There are also several hiking trails for visitors.
The Nature Trail is a three-quarter-mile trail that meanders through the willows, oaks, and other trees. The Trail of Trees features fifty different species. A few of the trees are labeled with a common name and a botanical name. There are several native trees and plants in this area as well, such as the redwood. The Little Loop Trail leads around a meadow and a creek.
The Desert Botanical Garden also has a herb garden. This area features plants from five different Mediterranean climate zones. It also features a rare fruit orchard. The plants in this area are constantly mulched with wood chips, which helps prevent water from standing. If standing water is present, it can be fatal for some dry climate species.
The Bird Habitat is home to a variety of birds, including black phoe, oak titmouse, and California towhee. It also has a water source and species that provide a year-round food source for these birds. The Bird Habitat is located on one-third of the Garden. This area is a popular attraction for migratory birds. The Garden has a Butterfly Garden, where nectar sources are provided for butterflies. The garden also has a sign with commonly observed butterfly species.
The Desert Botanical Garden has a unique collection of plants that are drought-tolerant. It also has a Penstemon collection, which provides colorful flowers all year. The Garden features an arboretum, as well. The arboretum is a collection of trees and plants that have been studied and cultivated by scientists. The Garden is also home to a nursery. The nursery is a workspace for the plant propagation team.
The Desert Botanical Garden also features a rare fruit orchard. This area includes over forty different tree species from thirty-five different countries. The Tree Collection has been installed by California Rare Fruit Growers.
The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a great place to spend a weekend or a day. It is located at 400 West Gainsborough Road in Thousand Oaks, California. There is plenty of parking available in the lot at the front of the garden. CVBG also has plant sales on Sundays. It also has a donation box located near the entrance. It is best to check with the garden before visiting to determine which days are the best to visit.
