Earlier last month, when it was in the triple digits, I was enjoying a few days' reprieve in Mendocino. While there are many things to recommend this coastal town—charming architecture, stunning ocean views, very cool bookshop complete with cat--one of the highlights is the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Located a few short miles north of the town, it doesn't look like much from Highway 1, but once through the entrance, you enter another world. This sensation is particularly true if you are coming from points east where the summer heat has put a damper on your ornamentals; in these gardens, so much is in bloom, it's like springtime has never ended. The Gardens boast 47 acres of cultivated and natural spaces with well-marked trails that lead to the bluffs overlooking the ocean. There is a great variety of plant life here, but this time of year, one of the real stunners is the dahlias. The Dahlia Garden has 150 varieties and over 625 plants making for a breathtaking display. The flowers bloom from June to October, but their peak bloom time is August and September.
Also in peak bloom are the begonias and fuchsias. The Mae E. Lauer Display House showcases these plants that thrive in the North Coast climate. You can see begonia blossoms as big as your outstretched hand and fuchsias so small you almost need a magnifying glass.
Another highlight is the Vegetable Garden and Orchard. This organic garden offers year-round produce which is donated weekly to the Fort Bragg Food Bank. Growing now is Swiss chard with its brilliantly colored stalks, lettuces, and a wonderful archway of trailing squash.
I spent about two hours leisurely wandering the grounds and was able to easily walk the entire perimeter. However, I could have absolutely spent two more hours; there was so much to see. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is a place to return to multiple times throughout the year. I will definitely make a point to visit in the winter when the camellias are in bloom, in the spring when the rhododendrons and azaleas are peaking, and then in early summer for the roses. All year long, there is something to marvel at in this slice of heaven by the sea.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
18220 North Highway 1
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
707-964-4352
https://www.gardenbythesea.org
Summer hours (April-October): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Winter hours (November-March): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily