Western Hills Garden, Occidental

About Western Hills Garden

Western Hills Garden is a three-acre nonprofit botanical refuge in Occidental, California where visitors wander through cultivated gardens featuring rare and nearly extinct plant species. The garden centers on five ponds connected by 34 bridges, with a magnificent folly inspired by British garden designer Penelope Hobhouse. Plantings include rare conifers, camellias, magnolias, maples, lush ferns and palms, and thousands of woody shrubs and perennials arranged across the grounds. Visitors come for day visits, guided tours, or classes and workshops held in quiet seating spaces throughout the garden. Activities include writing, reading, drawing, and picnicking. The garden's purpose centers on linking people, plants, and place, with program offerings designed to provide hands-on horticultural experiences and learning opportunities in the natural environment.