Let wonder inspire you in our 29 unique, themed gardens and glass conservatory. Our 37-acre urban oasis offers 4 miles of trails that lead to ocean views and through celebrated gardens including the largest children’s garden on the West Coast and North America’s largest public bamboo collection.
Our topography provides a wide variety of microclimates supporting a diversity of habitats. Visitors can stroll through a lush tropical rainforest with a waterfall before hiking into desert gardens. Along the way, flowering trees, restful vistas, a canyon with dozens of majestic palms, and a natural areas with native plants await.
Learn about the rich botanical heritage of our neighbors in our Mexican Garden, which displays agaves, salvias, prehistoric cycads and festive topiary mariachis. Overlook the ocean from the hillside Old World Desert Garden, with showy aloes, euphorbias, and dragon trees. Enjoy the colorful flora of the South Africa Garden, especially the treasures of the southwest Cape, with a Mediterranean climate like ours.
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Home to 3 children’s gardens, including the largest on the West Coast, SDBG promises jungle canopies, mountain streams, and interactive elements to fascinate, engage and foster learning. Climb Toni’s Tree House in Hamilton Children’s Garden, enjoy the miniature railroad at Seeds of Wonder, and challenge yourself by balancing on logs at Junior Quail Trail.
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Explore low water gardening in the many areas that showcase drought tolerant plants, water smart landscaping, and water saving systems. Experience food growing on the plant in the Subtropical Fruit Garden, Herb Garden and Incredible Edibles garden. Visit our Fire Safety Landscape Garden to learn about plants, design, and maintenance that will help protect your home in our wildfire-prone region.
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Learn about the knowledge and practices of the local Kumeyaay people on the Native Plants and Native Peoples Trail. Discover the beauty and value of native plants in California Gardenscapes. Enjoy stunning ocean views at the top of the Overlook Tower in our natural area, situated among Southern California’s rare coastal sage scrub and southern maritime chaparral.
Garden Map & List
Explore our glass conservatory, a state-of-the-art, 8,000 square-foot conservatory housing one-of-a-kind plant chandeliers that showcase some of the most impressive and rare tropical plants from around the world.
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At SDBG, you can visit the largest living collection of bamboo in North America! Our Bamboo Garden features over 100 different species and cultivars of bamboo from around the world.
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