On the last day of our Palm Springs/San Diego/LA Christmas trip, we stopped by the Niguel Botanical Preserve. The previous day, we left Palm Desert and spent a few hours in San Diego at Balboa Park and La Jolla. En route to our hotel in Laguna Hills, we stopped by Dana Point.
Niguel Botanical Preserve
We chose to visit Niguel Botanical Preserve for several reasons: it was free, open from sunset to sundown, and offered walking trails to take before our flight home. I still want to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum and Library, but tickets were already sold out – the same with the Warner Bros. Studio Tours. We’ll have to save that for another visit to LA.
Located inside Crown Valley Park, Niquel Botanical Preserve encompasses 18 acres of public gardens and walking trails, with plenty of nooks and crannies along the way. Plants hail from Mediterranean climates, including Chile, Australia, and California. A map of the gardens can be found here.
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We parked at the Crown Valley Park Amphitheater with a stage area and grassy terraces. The main entry point to the preserve lies just above the terraced seating area. The plant-lined trails wound up a hill with plenty or twists, turns, and side paths offering picturesque settings and garden “rooms.”
I’m not sure what exact paths we took, but we kept ascending the side of the slope. Soft green vegetation dotted the landscape as we wandered around. In what was once the community garden, the Rose Garden features varieties of David Austin English Roses. While peak bloomtime is in May, we managed to see some blooms.
Another interesting spot is the Chilean Garden. Planted in 2017, it boasts one of the largest Chilean plant collections in the state. Many of these plants are extremely drought-tolerant and burst with bright colors during the summertime.
Niguel Botanical Preserve Formal Gardens and Labyrinth
As we approached the Formal Gardens, we spotted the gazebo. Although it looks like a perfect spot for a wedding, the preserve doesn’t allow private events. We also saw views of the Metro LA area and Saddleback Valley from here.
The Formal Gardens resemble those in Italy, with hedges, parterres, and olive trees. In the center resides a labyrinth. These circuitous walking paths have been used for meditation and prayer for thousands of years. It’s important to note that labyrinths aren’t mazes with dead ends, but rather a path leading from the outside to the center to calm the mind and ease anxiety.
The Rest of the Preserve and History
After checking out the nearby collection of succulents, we descended the slope and explored plants found in California, the Baja Peninsula, and the Channel Islands. Although we had only explored about one-third of the preserve, we needed to leave soon. We walked quickly to the South African Overlook and headed down the hill.
So, what is the history of this hidden gem? Local volunteers began the gardens in 1981 as a community-wide vegetable garden. By 1990, leaders developed a Master Plan, and the garden received non-profit status. Today, volunteers maintain all the plants to highlight drought-resistant plants.
Both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts can earn badges here. For that reason, sections of the Niguel Botanical Preserve are dedicated to these youth groups. Visitors can find the Girl Scout Amphitheatre used for award ceremonies and the Boy Scout Trail to Eagle, which contains two dozen Boy Scout Eagle projects. Girl Scout Silver Award projects include a wishing well and a butterfly garden. At the Girl Scout Tree Grove, flags represent all the countries of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Getting closer to our starting point, we saw a massive playscape for kids (with restrooms). Adjacent to it is a spray ground and aquatic center. Other facilities include a 48,000-square-foot community building and plenty of athletic fields.
Conclusion
We spent about an hour exploring the Niguel Botanical Garden. With four miles of trails, we could have easily stayed longer. For information, click the website here. You can also see all the amenities available at Crown Valley Park here.