6 Unique Garden Tours in Sonoma County

The following six Sonoma County gardens take a unique spin on your average “garden tour.”

Hallberg Butterfly Gardens, Sebastopol

Unlike an enclosed butterfly house, the Hallberg Butterfly Gardens are an open-air network of flowering pathways through pollinator-friendly vines, thickets, and meadows. These are the oldest butterfly gardens in the U.S., unwittingly created in the 1920s by avid gardener Louise Hallberg. Hallberg planted the California native vine Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica), for its distinctive burgundy and white blooms, which turned out to be a main food source for caterpillars of black-and-teal Pipevine Swallowtails (see photo above).

Now visited by more than 50 varieties of butterflies, this is a spectacular place to commune with some of nature’s most beautiful creatures. The nine-acre gardens are open by appointment for self-guided and docent-led tours from approximately April through October. 

Bamboo Sourcery Nursery and Gardens, Sebastopol

Set on 7 1/2 sustainably-farmed acres in the vibrant town of Sebastopol, this family-run bamboo nursery with demonstration gardens has been open for more than 35 years, offering 300 different kinds of bamboo from around the world.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., appointments are recommended if you’d like a guided tour with a bamboo expert. Otherwise, Bamboo Sourcery is a delightful place to stroll or relax on your own, offering a soft, green dose of open-air wellness. Wear sturdy shoes to navigate the hilly layout, and be sure to grab a map by the entrance.

Garden Valley Ranch, Petaluma

A former Petaluma cattle ranch dating back to the early 1800s, Garden Valley Ranch now produces field-grown cut garden roses to ship to the floral trade around the country. On this five-acre property’s “Flower Foraging Experience” tour – offered most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during bloom season — you’ll be able to see more than 10,000 bushes of 60-plus rose varieties and pick your own roses to take home.

Features of this stunning property include display roses, perennials, and annuals arranged in color sequence; a Pond Garden with koi, 100 varieties of hydrangeas, 30 varieties of magnolia; a Fragrance Garden; and a nursery that sells more than 400 varieties of roses. 

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, Occidental

This 80-acre research and demonstration center aims to re-nourish the Earth’s soil by teaching how to create “permaculture” gardens. Designed for sustainability and subsistence, this style of garden mimics successful natural ecosystems by regularly replenishing its own soil and enabling communities to live off its produce without the use of pesticides. 

The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) gives tours from April through October on the first and third Sundays of the month at 1 p.m., but is not open for drop-ins. Here, you’ll also find the Mother Garden Nursery, which is 100% organic-certified and open seasonally on weekends.

Sculpture Garden at the Museum of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa

Set in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa, the sprawling Museum of Sonoma County campus features a whimsical sculpture garden you can tour on your own.

Echoing elements of the Sonoma County landscape — grass, rolling hills, towering redwoods — this garden is the setting for about a dozen large-scale pieces by California artists. Walk around and through this inspiring art, from John Pashlik’s aluminum-and-rock “Power Plant” (see above) to Bruce Johnson’s 16-foot-tall “Sequoia,” featuring old-growth redwood, copper, and slate. Maps identifying the sculptures are available on loan from the front desk of the history building.

Western Hills Garden, Occidental

Western Hills is a beloved fixture, originally opened in 1959, and now under the ownership of married couple Hadley Dynak and Kent Strader. This three-acre landmark offers seasonal public tours and plant sales set within a redwood forest with winding paths, 60-year-old exotic trees, and lots of color. Plant collections from Australia, Asia, South America, and Africa include camellias, conifers, dogwoods, ferns, hellebores, lilies, irises, magnolias, maples, and rhododendrons.

Tours are by appointment on Saturdays and Sundays, or other days may be accommodated with advance reservations. If you’ll have children in tow, ask about the garden’s kid-friendly scavenger hunt.

Fresh Experiences Await in Sonoma County

For more ideas, Visit Sonoma Botanical Garden, Explore Sonoma Flowers and Winery Gardens, and find 10 Sonoma Wineries with Gorgeous Gardens.

Or check our listings of Outdoor Activities in Sonoma County and click on Parks and Gardens.

---

Written by Melanie Wynne