I’ve been on a garden kick lately. Ok, I went to two gardens within the last couple of weeks. But the only other garden I have visited in the last year has been the Humming Bird Garden at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. But thanks to a friend who has a membership at Descanso Gardens and free day at South Coast Botanic Garden, I finally made it alll the way to La Cañada and made my way through strip mall-laden Hawthorne Boulevard.

Descanso Gardens

Kicked off the day with this delicious and refreshing lavender margarita! I love that I could take my cocktail with me as I strolled the grounds.

Below are pictures of me with my beloved cocktail. Yes, I wear a mask outside. It’s just a good habit to have these days. The only time I take my mask off when I am outside is when I eat, drink, or take a quick breather. I may run around town but I make sure that I am COVID-19 safe!

Rose Garden

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Much-needed shade!

South Coast Botanic Garden

I didn’t know about South Coast Botanic Garden until a year ago. I’m in the South Bay a lot and have probably seen the sign, but I don’t remember. There are a lot of signs to equestrian centers, private communities, private parks, etc. I probably just thought it was another private garden. But a couple of South Bay friends are members and mentioned it. They were surprised that I had never been since I frequent the area. So, I put South Coast Botanic Garden on my 2020 Places To Visit list. Yes, I have a list. I have a lot of lists.

I was excited to find out that they had an upcoming free day! But because of 2020 and not having anymore concept of what day of the week it is anymore, I forgot about it until the night before. Fortunately, I lucked out and I was still able to make a reservation!

Garden of the Senses was by far my favorite area! I love how it smelled and how they encouraged getting up close to the plants!

My Second Favorite Area: Discovery Garden. Yes, I know it’s for kids.

It was great to see bright colors after seeing all the dry, brown shrubs during my hikes.

And finally, South Coast Botanic Garden has a new exhibit, Hide and Seek: Art Meets Nature. This exhibition is in partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

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Summary:

I was trying to figure out which garden I liked better, but it’s an apples-oranges situation. I liked how South Coast Botanic Garden was expansive and felt expansive, but I also liked how Descanso Botanic Garden had the cozy garden vibe. Descanso allowed walking around with a cocktail, but South Coast allowed picnicking. Both of them are worth a second or five more visits soon!