Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens stands in for locations around the globe, with varied landscapes providing settings for film, TV, commercials, and print photography.
Descanso Gardens is a 150-acre botanical garden in La Cañada Flintridge, northwest of Pasadena, converted from the Boddy private estate into a public garden. The grounds include a redwood forest, lake, rose gardens, the largest camellia collection in the United States, a Japanese garden, an oak grove, and a historic hilltop estate.
The Boddy House and Camellia Collection
The Boddy House, a Regency-style mansion completed in 1939, served as the residence of newspaper publisher E. Manchester Boddy. The property first opened to the public in March 1950 for a single weekend, drawing nearly 6,000 visitors on the opening day before a $1 admittance fee was instituted in 1951. During World War II, Boddy acquired nearly 100,000 camellia plants from Japanese-American nurserymen forced into internment camps, and the garden now holds one of North America's largest camellia collections.
Best Photo Spots
Descanso Gardens features six photo spots across its themed gardens and forest areas, from the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden to the Ancient Forest.
Rose Garden
Photographs of This Location
Disney's Near Miss with Descanso Gardens
E. Manchester Boddy's decision to sell the Descanso property drew interest from Walt Disney, according to local newspapers of the era, and the grounds eventually transitioned from a private estate into the public garden known today. The lake is currently undergoing restoration work on its leaking concrete liner, and once finished will again supply local firefighters with a water source. An exhibit titled "Descansoland: Our gardens might have gone Disney" documents this near-miss with a very different future for the site.
Common Questions
Non-members (including kids) need a ticket to enter; members enter free by showing their membership card.
Enchanted is a rain-or-shine event, so it will not be canceled due to bad weather.
No, photography is not permitted inside any buildings at Descanso Gardens, including the Boddy House and Sturt Haaga Gallery.
The Rose Garden is best photographed in spring and summer when the roses are in bloom; otherwise you can rely on architectural features like arches, fountains, and gazebos.
Practical Information
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011; 20-minute drive from downtown LA; 10 minutes from Pasadena; A large parking lot is located directly in front of the entrance to Descanso Gardens.
Free, adjacent lot; Free, first-come first-served; free
8am daily (members only); 9am–7pm daily; 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (8 a.m. admittance for members)
free; All non-member visitors must buy a general admission ticket.; general admission required for non-members
no refunds; reschedule up to 48 hrs before; Tripods and drones prohibited; monopods and selfie sticks allowed with care; Any posed photography at Descanso Gardens—whether professional, amateur, or family—requires a booked permit and fee prior to arriving.
Photowalk
Walk the Descanso Gardens Photo Trail
2 routes through the same vantage points, from a quick loop to a full afternoon.
The California Native Garden contains show-stopping Matilija poppies with dramatic fried-egg flowers topping lanky stalks.
Session Tips
- Weekends in spring at Descanso Gardens can be exceptionally busy, while weekdays are less crowded, so photographers should allow extra time for parking.
- Drones, model airplanes, kites, and metallic balloons are not allowed at Descanso due to overhead high-voltage wires.
- Pick your top three gardens located close together before arriving to avoid spending all day walking the 150-acre property.
- Time a visit to hear Sky Beneath Our Feet, a symphony for trees that plays on 72 outdoor speakers at 10 a.m. and 12, 2, 4, and 6 p.m.
- Descanso Gardens tends to be quite shaded and closed in, so plan for limited natural sunlight—except in the Rose Garden, which offers more open areas and beautiful sunlight.
What to Wear
- It gets chilly at Descanso at night during Enchanted, so a coat, scarf, hat, and gloves are recommended.
- Wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking over dirt and uneven terrain, since Descanso Gardens covers 150 acres.
When to Shoot
Best Time to Photograph
1:23 PM - 1:49 PM
1:49 PM - 2:49 PM
12:34 AM - 1:34 AM
1:34 AM - 1:59 AM
Best Season
January-February (camellias)
Avoid
November 26 and December 25
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:58 | 17:06 | 10h 8m |
| Feb | 06:37 | 17:36 | 10h 59m |
| Mar | 07:03 | 19:00 | 11h 57m |
| Apr | 06:21 | 19:24 | 13h 3m |
| May | 05:50 | 19:47 | 13h 57m |
| Jun | 05:40 | 20:06 | 14h 25m |
| Jul | 05:52 | 20:05 | 14h 12m |
| Aug | 06:14 | 19:39 | 13h 25m |
| Sep | 06:36 | 18:59 | 12h 23m |
| Oct | 06:58 | 18:18 | 11h 20m |
| Nov | 06:25 | 16:48 | 10h 22m |
| Dec | 06:51 | 16:44 | 9h 53m |
What to Expect During Your Session
Descanso Gardens spans 150 acres, with one of North America's largest camellia collections best photographed in January and February, while the Rose Garden gives off its strongest perfume during the members-only 8am hour before the 9am public opening. Photographers should pick three nearby gardens in advance and schedule around golden hour to avoid harsh overhead sun and dappled tree shadows, knowing that weekends in spring are exceptionally busy and weekday visits require extra parking time. Drones, kites, and metallic balloons are prohibited on the grounds due to overhead high-voltage wires.
Permit holders can check in at the Visitor Center up to two hours before the garden closes, with check-in from 9am-3pm during regular hours and 9am-5pm during extended hours.
Members can arrive at 8am for early entry before the 9am public opening.
Sky Beneath Our Feet, Pete Wyer's symphony for trees, plays at 10 a.m., 12, 2, 4, and 6 p.m. on 72 outdoor speakers throughout the Oak Grove.
A full hike through Descanso Gardens covers about 4 1/2 miles.
Getting There
Access & Transit
- Wheelchair access
- Descanso's main pathways are asphalt and very accessible by wheelchair or stroller, while secondary paths of decomposed granite/dirt are somewhat accessible, and tertiary mulch paths are not wheelchair-friendly.
- Parking
- Parking is available in the landscaped main lot and an auxiliary lot at Descanso Gardens.
- Public transit
- two Metro bus stations, ~0.5 miles away; Descanso Gardens is located in La Cañada Flintridge, CA, but the page does not name a specific public transit line or stop.
- Walking distance
- The garden is reached from the parking area, with a 4 1/2-mile trail circuit winding through Rose Garden, Oak Grove, Ancient Forest, Boddy House, Japanese Garden and California Native Garden.
- Bike friendly
- Bikes, motorcycles, scooters, skateboards, roller skates, and pogo sticks are not allowed inside the gardens.