Garden Collections
California
Over the past decade California gardeners have been eager to find ways to lower their water-use and attract native wildlife to the garden, while still maintaining attractive landscapes. One of the best ways to do this is to use plants native to California, and many local gardeners have found inspiration in the Garden’s California collection.
Australia
The Garden’s outstanding Australian collection celebrates the diversity of the Australian continent which stretches northward into the tropics and southward into the path of the rain-bearing westerlies, encompassing habitats as diverse as rainforest, heathland, and desert.
South Africa
For the flower aficionado the name South Africa must immediately bring to mind the fabulous Protea. In mid-winter, when the proteas reach their peak bloom, a visit to the South African Garden is a trip to a magical paradise of almost unearthly beauty.
New Zealand
The Edward D. Landels New Zealand Garden was dedicated in 1984 in order to bring this unique flora to the attention of residents of the opposite hemisphere. Many unusual and fantastic plants await the visitor, their odd forms revealing much about the forces that shaped their evolution.
Aroma & Succulent Garden
Filled with the heady aromas of many mint family members not to mention innumerable bees and butterflies, the Aroma and Succulent Gardens sit across from Norrie’s Gift Shop.
Butterfly Garden
Adjacent to the California Entrance Garden and to the left of the path leading to the New Zealand area, you’ll discover the first evidence of the formation and planting of the new Butterfly Garden based on California native plants, small and modest at the moment, but holding promise of greater things to come.
Other Gardens
Explore living art and science at the UCSC Arboretum, from the Harrisons’ visionary Future Garden domes to rare conifers, “living fossil” flowering plants, and vibrant habitats from California to South America. Where nature, research, and creativity come alive.