Cascading waterfall at Gardens of the World

You’ve all heard of Pleasant Holidays, right?  That travel company that sells packaged vacations in various tropical locations?  Well, Ed and Lynn Hogan, who founded the company, loved what they’ve seen in their travels around the world so much that they built a monument to the world’s natural beauty right in their hometown.  It is called The Gardens of the World, and I literally stumbled upon it a few weeks ago.

There are other park-like gardens in Southern California that quite possibly hog the spotlight – Descanso Gardens, Huntington Gardens, the Los Angeles Arboretum – but then if Gardens of the World was more famous, my discovery would not have been so delightful.  I was taking a long walk on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, the thoroughfare that runs parallel north of the 101 Freeway in the Conejo Valley, while my car was being serviced.  And since I recently moved from that other famous valley, the San Fernando, I don’t really know this area very well so I decided to explore.

After walking for over an hour, I was hot and thirsty and feeling too much sun.  But after the car shops and panaderias and boutiques faded away, I came upon a block that was fenced in by a greenery-covered wall.  As I approached, I smelled the flowers.  I looked up to see a gateway.

Open to the public

A sign said “open to the public” and the gates were open, so I wandered in.  I saw this:

Well, hello!

It was a Saturday morning and there was not another person in sight.  I wandered around the grounds, marveling at this beautiful place that was reminiscent of parks in London in its placement right in the middle of a busy city.  But resplendent in its flora the way only a Southern Californian location can be.

French Garden

It’s not just a pretty garden.  The site hosts free concerts, tours, and art exhibits.  What I find interesting is that it will host the occasional charity event, but no weddings or other private parties.  Hmm.  An attraction with some kind of moral compass?  Well, it does say right on the website that the Hogan Family Foundation mission includes the promotion of a “more productive and contributory society.”  I guess this is a good place to be inspired.

Inspiration needs water and light

The Gardens of the World is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Admission is free.

[rectangular photos from Gardens of the World site; square photos by me]