1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA

While I have never visited the Channel Islands, I have visited the visitor’s center several times. You may wonder why anyone would visit the visitor’s center and never enter the national park. First, actual visitation to the national park requires a ticket fare and a boat ride. Second, I visit the Ventura Harbor several times a year, so visiting the Channel Islands NP Visitor’s Center sometimes becomes a part of the trip. Third, did you know they have a small but beautiful garden adjacent to the Visitor’s Center? Of course that’s what this blog is about. I finally got the chance to visit the garden during its bloom season and it was a special visit.

For those unfamiliar with the Channel Islands, they are eight islands off the Pacific coast with five of them San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara forming the Channel Islands National Park. The most popular, Santa Catalina Island, also known as Catalina Island, is not part of the national park system.

The visitor’s center is located at the end of the Ventura Harbor. The garden is adjacent to the visitor’s center and is free and is always open so you can enter and visit anytime. The entrance of the main garden is located by the large Channel Islands National Park sign.

During my visit in May, it was the end of the giant corepsis season but it was the beginning for the buckwheat and the sages. Masses of dark pink pom-poms and soft white of the buckwheat erupted in soft beauty of the sea air. Sages were also blooming.

And there where several different species of Dudleya while at the first glance, they seemed to be the same until you realize that they have slight differences. Which brings to the importance of the islands and the garden, as it highlights some of the endemic species that can be found on the islands and that garden serves as an example and grounds to help preserve their survival.

Sprinkled throughout the garden are sculptures by an artist. Some of the sculptures are apparent and visible while others are hidden and take awhile for your eyes to adjust as you view them among the plantlife.

The gardens are both maintained by the Ventura County Master Gardeners. You will find that areas by the entrance and walkway to the center is more groomed and maintained, while the larger garden area is left in a more natural state. This could be due to this year’s record rainfall which made everything bloom abundantly and/or also intentionally left for the wildlife to enjoy. There was a lot of wildlife activity from birds, hummingbirds, and lizards, to insects such as bees and butterflies.

I think what I found fascinating was that some of these plants can be found in the inland parts of Southern California and here next to the salty air, they were also thriving. California native plants show they resiliency in their adaptability at growing along the coast or desert environment.