Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens

Address:	18220 CA-1, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, USA
Phone:	+1 707-964-4352
Site:	gardenbythesea.org
Rating:	4.7
Working:	9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM 9AM–4PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 16

A Private User

With every passing generation, we seem to get farther and farther away from the ideals which dictated that giving people access to beauty, culture, art and knowledge would create happier, saner and safer societies in which to live. Cities like San Francisco built museums, parks, gardens, ponds, fountains and other aesthetics into their city planning, in an effort to foster a sensitive and educated public. What a wonderful thing it is to visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and see acres of beautiful paths and plantings laid out for the sole purpose of putting humans in touch with peace and happiness. Id love to be able to pay admission into this very special garden for every stressed out, overworked, unhappy, quarrelsome American and see if it would help them to find a new kind of serenity within themselves. This is a valuable, truly needed place and we extend our thanks to the wonderful people who have maintained and preserved the gardens for so many years.

AirBoarder

I would not describe this as a garden. Very few places are manicured or taken care of at all, most of it is just over grown. The admission is $14, way pricey for what I saw. This would be better labeled as a park not a kept garden. While some of it was beautiful, such as walking along the coast line and watching the waves. It was natures beauty, not something that should be charged for by man. Most of the paths are overgrown and you are likely to trip on something, and excessive amount of Rhododendrons. They may be quite pretty when they bloom however they are a very drab looking plant otherwise. All in all, dont waste your money here.

Wendy Nieves

what a beautiful place! i have been there twice in the last year, and i dont live close by. allow plenty of time to enjoy all of the areas and wear comfy shoes. you can end up walking several miles if you see everything. in addition to the main paved paths that are wheelchair/scooter/stroller accessible thru the different garden areas, there are smaller, non-accessible trails between them. this garden stretches between hwy 1 and the ocean, with perennial, woodland, rose, wild, succulent, vegetable, and dahlia gardens, in addition to an amazing tuberose begonia house. their website will let you know whats currently in bloom.

Darcy K

Spectacular botanical gardens. Driving up, was able to see 2 different kinds of hummingbirds that were feeding on the flowering vines next to the visitor center. The grounds are just breathtaking. So many different kinds of flora. A highlight was walking the 1/3 of a mile or so to the coast. We passed through a grove of MASSIVE rhododendron - many 15-20+ feet tall - easily the most impressive collection in the U.S. and possibly the world. When you want out to the coast, there are trails along the coastline that just add to the experience. Worth one or more visits.

Anna Hautzinger

This garden has 2 distinct areas. The first is a conventional garden, displaying various groupings of plants in "rooms". One of the most notable is a Blue pine, with actual blue pinecones. The cactus display is beautiful, as are the roses. There is a display hall containing potted plants. The second part of the garden is more of a ramble. There is a farm and play area for kids, a great dahlia garden and a great clifftop walk with the ocean roaring below. There also is a small cabin that overlooks the ocean. A great walk for a lovely day.

Behrang Fassihi-Rad

The biggest variety of flowers and plants ever! Ive traveled around a bit and have been to gardens all over the globe include quite a fabulous one in Hawaii. However the sheer number of plants here is mind boggling. One can get lost in this enormous place for hours and not see everything. A stand out was their Begonia house with beautiful picturesque flowers. Also their Dahlia garden was in bloom when I went and they were gorgeous. I highly recommend if you are in the Mendocino area.

David Yarnevich

Wow. Our friends are members, and we couldnt have been more surprised to find such amazing botanical gardens in a small community like Ft Bragg. The volunteer staff are some of the most dedicated, friendly and knowledgeable gardeners Ive encountered at a venue like this. The coastal views at the sea side of the gardens are utterly enchanting, and a fantastic place to sit down, close your eyes, and get lost in the crashing waves.

Steven Kolden

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful stroll through the gardens. I was surprised by the massive vegetable garden and they allowed you to pull and eat some strawberries. I was also surprised with one of the best ocean views of the headlands if you keep walking to the end. We really enjoyed ourselves. Its hard for me not to rush through things but this place is perfect for relaxing and just soaking in the beauty of it all.

Diane Sorenson

Spectacular rhododendrons, azaleas, heather, coast Iris or dahlias and ferns and maples in a natural setting. Depending on the season there is always something beautiful to see. The walking paths are easy to navigate and can take you to the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean. I cant leave without buying some plants from the nursery! Take your time, relax and enjoy Mother Nature at her best.

Harry Criswell

Great 67 acher gardens with great cliff sea view in back. Have been here many times. Pet friendly to the point of having a longer leash when we forgot to bring ours. Nice little gift shop in front. Great little cafe for lunch with unique sandwich options. There is a vegetable garden in the middle too. Unique art pieces that change from time to time found around the gardens.

Gigi Pang

This is not like most Botanical Gardens that only show you fancy nicely trimmed flowers or trees. Most areas look very natural and park-like. With over 40 acres of land and nice coastal view, its great for a relaxing walk. Besides the view, i really enjoyed the vegetable garden and the kids area. This place also has nice event areas.

Apeksha Desai

Beautiful and well maintained garden. Ideally should take you 2 hours to enjoy the basic trail covering most of the garden. We got to see full bloom of Dahilas. They have amazing number of varieties of plants. The cafe at the entrance has good food. we enjoyed a small meal there. Definitely, worth a visit if you are around Mendocino.

Elena Harding

Its beautiful and expansive. I spent 3 hours here and it easily could have been more. Lots of labeled varieties, art, and coastal views. They even sell some of their plants at the nursery. The gift shop is kind of old fashioned though-lots of things Id expect to see in grandmothers house.

Carl from Chicago

We heard this was a good place but were blown away by how big it was and how many different types of plants and areas it contained. You can also walk alongside the ocean. Highly recommended and worth the money. Bring some water you probably will be walking through for an hour or more.

Natalie Brundred

Love, love, love this place! We come visit once s year. The dahlia garden is always spectacular. The pathways are lovely, and most of them can be walked by someone using a walker. Many different gardens. Beautiful spaces for weddings. Gardens go out to the ocean.

Julie Adrianna Olsen

The food at the Diner theyre gets 5 stars. The gardens. ...3. Most of the plants you want to know about are not labeled. But there are do many cool plants. ...and sculptures, and then you can check out and scamper around on the ocean cliff/ lookouts