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Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

Coordinates: 34°11′31″N 118°53′09″W / 34.19194°N 118.88583°W / 34.19194; -118.88583
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Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
Sign by entrance.
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is located in California
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is located in the United States
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
Conejo Valley Botanic Garden
TypeBotanical garden
LocationThousand Oaks, California, United States
Coordinates34°11′31″N 118°53′09″W / 34.19194°N 118.88583°W / 34.19194; -118.88583
Area33.6 acres (13.6 ha)
Opened1976
Operated byConejo Valley Botanic Garden
StatusOpen
Websitewww.conejogarden.org

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is located in Thousand Oaks, California, and consists of a peak with vista views along with 15 hillside botanical gardens. It provides a teaching laboratory for what flora works and what does not work in the Conejo Valley.[1]

The 33-acre (13-hectare) site consists of a vast variety of endemic plants, water-conserving plants, oak trees, and indigenous wildlife. A children's garden area was added in March 2003, known as Kids’ Adventure Garden.[2][3] Although the garden itself keeps open most days, Kids’ Adventure Garden and nursery plant sales are only open on certain days.[4] Admission to the garden is free.[5]

Although its main entrance is found at 400 West Gainsborough Road,[6][7] it is also accessible from Conejo Community Park, located at the intersection of Hendrix and Dover Avenues.[8][9][10]

The property was first acquired in 1973, while the first parts of the botanical gardens began to emerge in 1976.[11] It is operated by the nonprofit Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, Inc.[12] It lies across the street from Tarantula Hill, the highest point in Thousand Oaks.[13][14][15]

Overview

It consists of a plant sanctuary on a hill overlooking the Conejo Valley.[16] The hill contains 15 unique, hillside specialty gardens. It is home to a variety of hiking trails, which interconnect with other paths leading to various overlook points from the hill. The garden's many hill paths lead past fruit trees, sections of desert, native plants, Mediterranean plants, herbs, and a butterfly garden. The 1-mile Nature Trail follows a creek, which descends into a forested, willow- and oak-filled canyon.[17] It is also home of a bird habitat that is a conservation effort to provide sustenance and sheltering environments for birds and other fauna.[18][19]

Management

A 50-year lease agreement between the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden Inc. and Conejo Recreation & Park District was signed on October 18, 1973, with the organization paying $1 annually in rent. A term of the lease requires the garden to not charge for entry. The organization receives no funding from public agencies and remains exclusively dependent on donations.[20]

Specialty gardens

Salvia Garden
Desert Garden
Herb Garden
Australian Garden
Mediterranean Garden
View from atop the hill

Its botanical gardens include an Australian garden, a bird habitat, a butterfly garden, an oak-tree grove, rare-fruit orchard, extensive salvia collections, and more.[21]

Its botanical gardens consist of 15 unique hillside gardens:[22][23]

Furthermore, the Trail of Trees exhibits a total of 72 trees, including 50 different tree species. Each tree is labeled with its family, botanical and common names, along with country of origin and planting date. Represented are the golden trumpet tree, the national tree of Brazil, as well as Chinese pistache, tulip tree, Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan', cockspur coral, American storax, shoestring acacia, and others.

Garden trails are found throughout the gardens. Little Loop Trail leads above the creek through chaparral and around a meadow. The longer, 1-mile (1.6 km) Nature Trail follows the creek and descends into a shady, oak-canopied canyon just below the hill with the botanical gardens. After 14 mile (0.40 km), steep wooden steps bring the path down into the canyon. After exploring the creek-bed for 12 mile (0.80 km), the trail climbs out of the ravine and returns to the main garden area.[29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://ucanr.edu/sites/vcmg/files/131066.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ Weir, Kathie (2001). A Parent's Guide to Los Angeles: Friendly Advice for Touring Los Angeles with Children. Mars Publishing, Inc. Page 90. ISBN 9780967512716.
  3. ^ Tai, Lolly (2006). Designing outdoor environments for children: Landscaping schoolyards, gardens, and playgrounds. McGraw-Hill. Page 323. ISBN 9780071459358.
  4. ^ ohtadmin (2015-08-20). "Energetic teens inject new life into Conejo Botanic Garden". Thousand Oaks Acorn. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  5. ^ Russell, John J. and Thomas S. Spencer (2006). Gardens Across America, West of the Mississippi: The American Horticultural Society's Guide to American Public Gardens and Arboreta. Taylor Trade Publishing. Page 94. ISBN 9781461708919.
  6. ^ Popper, Helen (2012). California Native Gardening: A Month-by-Month Guide. University of California Press. Page 196. ISBN 9780520952232.
  7. ^ ohtadmin (2015-08-20). "Energetic teens inject new life into Conejo Botanic Garden". Thousand Oaks Acorn. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  8. ^ ohtadmin (2015-08-20). "Energetic teens inject new life into Conejo Botanic Garden". Thousand Oaks Acorn. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  9. ^ "Directions | Conejo Valley Botanical Garden". Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  10. ^ "Volunteers keep Conejo Valley Botanic Garden tidy 35 years". www.vcstar.com. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  11. ^ "Conejo Valley Botanic Garden". Conejo Recreation and Park District. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  12. ^ "Conejo Valley Botanic Garden". Conejo Recreation and Park District. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  13. ^ Philipp, Cathy (1997). On the Trail - Malibu to Santa Barbara. Cathy Philip Pub. Page 107. ISBN 9780965584807.
  14. ^ "Conejo Valley Garden Showcases Local Plants". Los Angeles Times. 1998-02-22. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  15. ^ McKinney, John (2013). HIKE Ventura County: Best Day Hikes around Ventura, Ojai and the Simi Hills. The Trailmaster, Inc. Pages 82-83.
  16. ^ "Peace, Tranquility and Views at the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden in Thousand Oaks". Conejo Valley Guide | Conejo Valley Events. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  17. ^ Stone, Robert (1998). Day Hikes in Ventura County, California: 43 of the Best. Day Hike Books, Inc. Page 28. ISBN 978-1573420198.
  18. ^ "Conejo Valley Botanic Garden". Conejo Recreation and Park District. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  19. ^ "Things to Do With Kids in Conejo Valley, California". Travel Tips - USA Today. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  20. ^ "Volunteers keep Conejo Valley Botanic Garden tidy 35 years". www.vcstar.com. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  21. ^ Russell, John J. and Thomas S. Spencer (2006). Gardens Across America, West of the Mississippi: The American Horticultural Society's Guide to American Public Gardens and Arboreta. Taylor Trade Publishing. Page 95. ISBN 9781461708919.
  22. ^ http://ucanr.edu/sites/vcmg/files/131066.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  23. ^ "Tour the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden | Conejo Valley Botanical Garden". Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  24. ^ Clebsch, Betsy (1997). A Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden. Timber Press. Page 102. ISBN 9780881923698.
  25. ^ http://www.conejogarden.org/sites/default/files/Bulletins/CVBG%20March%20Bulletin%202017-pages%20CORRECTED.pdf[permanent dead link] [bare URL PDF]
  26. ^ http://www.conejogarden.org/sites/default/files/Bulletins/CVBG%20Newsletter%20Mar%202012.pdf Archived 2018-07-19 at the Wayback Machine (Page 2)
  27. ^ "Panorama of the Conejo Valley | Conejo Valley Botanical Garden". Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  28. ^ Siskin, Joshua (2021-03-06). "Why the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a magic mountain you must visit". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on 2021-03-06. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  29. ^ Philipp, Cathy (1997). On the Trail - Malibu to Santa Barbara. Cathy Philip Pub. Pages 105-106. ISBN 9780965584807.
  30. ^ Stone, Robert (2011). Day Hikes Around Ventura County: 116 Great Hikes. Day Hike Books. Pages 204-205. ISBN 978-1573420624.