Gardens at Heather Farm

37°55′08″N 122°02′34″W / 37.91889°N 122.04278°W / 37.91889; -122.04278^[1]

The 6-

, and are open to the public 7 days a week during daylight hours.

History

In 1967, Walnut Creek city park director Ruth Wallis called a meeting with the presidents of three local garden clubs to discuss the possibility of a gardening association for Walnut Creek. This group then asked the city for the use of part of the planned Heather Farm Park. The Heather Farm Garden Center Association was incorporated in 1971. Members of HFGCA included Philip and Ruth Bancroft, who donated land for Heather Farm Park and founded the Ruth Bancroft Garden. A groundbreaking ceremony for the gardens was held on August 12, 1979. The HFGCA's headquarters, the Heather Farm Garden Center building, opened in 1983 after being funded by plant sales, donations, and grants.^[2][3]

Gardens

Gardens at Heather Farm currently include:^[4]

• Black Pine Garden (1989) – a small garden, including a
  Colorado blue spruce
  .
• Butterfly Garden (1996) – includes a hedge of
  passion vines, and Mexican sunflowers
  .
• Children's Garden (1990) – grapes and goldflame honeysuckle. Much of the garden is planted each spring with edible produce.
• Cowden Rose Garden (1991) – Gazebo with
  floribunda roses, among a variety of rose
  displays.
• Diablo Ascent Garden (1996).
• Meadow Garden (1995) –
  cape plumbago and pittosporum shrubs, and a hedge of Japanese rugosa
  shrub roses.
• Mother's Garden (1996) – a bench set under
  artemisia
  .
• Mural Garden (1990) – three
  rockrose, berberis, verbena, gazania, thyme, coreopsis, and penstemon
  .
• Native Plant Garden (1983).
• Ree Display Grove (1995) –
  daffodils
  and twelve types of trees representing uncommon candidates for use in a home garden.
• Riparian Garden (1992) – original
  buddleia, and ochna
  .
• Rockery (1990) – an alpine garden, including miniature trees and conifers as well as perennials to emulate high elevation plantings. This garden contains plants suitable to Zone 14 that still appear alpine.
• Sensory Garden – raised beds, water fountain and more than 75 fragrant herbs and plants interesting to touch.
• Stroll Garden (1997).
• Ward Garden (1989) – a lawn of tall
  fescue grass, with five ornamental cherry
  trees.
• Water Conservation Garden (2004).
• Waterfall Garden (2000) – eleven waterfalls, ponds, and two bridges.

See also

• List of botanical gardens in the United States

References

External links

• Official site