Santa Barbara

Just southeast of Santa Barbara in the town of Montecito is Lotusland. Floating lotus, primordial ferns and 100 different types of aloe make this 37-acre estate as dramatic as the diva who created it. Opera singer Madame Ganna Walska began the garden in 1941 with the encouragement of her sixth husband; the estate is open to the public by reservation only.

Casa del Herrero

Casa del Herrero survived the devastating Santa Barbara earthquake of 1925 and it stands as an early model for the Spanish grand style of architecture. The Moorish gardens complement the Mediterranean ambiance of the home. Original owner George Stedman travelled to Spain where he personally handpicked and purchased the hundreds of tiles that accent the garden fountains and pathways.

Garden Theater

Less than 100 miles from the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, Ann England made her own dramatic discovery. England found an outdoor theater among the plant life at her Santa Barbara home. But reclaiming the 1920s-era theater from the overgrowth was not an overnight success. It took 15 years of excavating, terracing and planting to restore the grounds to their former glory. England admits she is not a purist when it comes to rehabilitating the garden. She adds her own dramatic flair to existing architectural elements to create a unique garden arena.

De Forest Garden

Lockwood de Forest was a popular landscape architect who practiced between 1921 and 1949. His forte was making smaller gardens appear larger by borrowing views from nature. De Forest incorporated surrounding mountain views into his garden plans, transforming an ordinary garden into a canvas of rich natural landscapes.