Gardens

Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens features nine botanical collections, a (ride-able) miniature railroad, house museum, modern art gallery, cafe and gift shop. The urban retreat also boasts a redwood forest, streams, a lake, a bird sanctuary and the largest camellia garden in the United States. Programmed events include morning yoga, weekend walks, story time for kids, gardening tutorials, and annual festivals.

Camelias

The arrival of the camellias was a game changer for Descanso’s popularity, but the story is complex. During WWII, many Japanese-Americans were exiled to internment camps, and Japanese nursery owners F.M. Uyematsu and F.W. Yoshimura were among them. Estate owner Elias Boddy took the opportunity to purchase their esteemed collection of camellias. A volunteer group, the Descanso Gardens Guild, took over management duties after the ownership fell to LA County, and today Descanso has rewritten its history and reestablished relationships with the Uyematsu and Yoshimura families, who own San Gabriel Nursery & Florist nearby. Look for the star on the plant tags to see which ones belonged to the Japanese nurseries.

Plan Your Visit

All non-members MUST buy online tickets in advance. Members can enter without an advance ticket. No tickets will be sold at the garden. Tickets for non-members will be released weekly Tuesdays at 10 am. Information is subject to change.

When you visit, please note:

Masks and face-coverings are not required in outdoor spaces
Face coverings are required for all visitors in indoor spaces
Food can be enjoyed at the picnic tables outside of the Visitor Center
Non-members can purchase tickets online or at the Visitor Center
Descanso is currently a cashless establishment
The Boddy House and Enchanted Railroad are closed

Tickets

General: $15.00
Students with ID and Seniors (65+): $11.00
Children (5-12 years): $5.00
Descanso members and children under 5 years: Free

Advance ticketing information:

Free Tuesday tickets are released on the first day of each month. Free Tuesday tickets will be released the first Monday of the month if the first day falls on a weekend
August 17 Free Tuesday tickets: Available Monday, August 2 at 10am
September 21 Free Tuesday tickets: Available September 1 at 10am
October 19 Free Tuesday tickets: Available October 1 at 10am

Advance Tickets

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