Come see what happens in the garden during extended hours. Take a tour, dance to music amongst the flowers, learn about nature, enjoy food and drink. Grab some friends and enjoy the gardens in a new way.

Included in the price of admission or Descanso Gardens membership, no reservations required.

Cultivate: The Five Senses

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Flower installation by florist Whit Hazen

• Watch before your eyes as a flower installation is built throughout the evening, using fragrant plants and flowers gathered from the garden to create a full sensory experience
• Time: 4:30–7pm
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Soundbaths by Marna Currie 

• Enjoy sound baths under the oaks on the Main Lawn
• Times: 5–5:30pm and 6–6:30pm
• Location: Main Lawn
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Flashdance DJ

• Have a drink in the Rose Garden bar and enjoy a mix of classic and contemporary songs by our popular guest DJs
• Time: 4:30–7pm
• Location: Rose Garden
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Activity: Make your own herbal tea bag to take home

• Time: 4:30–7pm

Learn how to design unique plant palettes and maintenance schedules for your garden that provide support for our local wildlife. As we work to preserve and protect our local biodiversity, home gardens and urban landscapes are often underutilized spaces that can be turned into corridors that provide for the little creatures we so admire and depend on.

Students will come away with best practices and insights into observing your own local wildlife and easy steps to provide for them.

Meets on June 17. $30 members, $35 non-members. Advance registration required, register here.

Join us for a curator-led tour of the new gallery exhibit 0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor. Meets at the Sturt Haaga Gallery on June 17 at 11am and 2pm. 

No registration required, free with admission.

About 0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor

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0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor examines a wealth of subject matter that exists in the parasitological ecosystem of the forest floor. The coexistence of the parasite and the host helps to complete life cycles in some species and the coevolution of both. The exhibition will be installed to create an immersive environment containing works of all media that serves as a metaphor for the mutualism needed to contribute to the earth’s sustainability.

The works in the exhibition will depict nature’s underworld; a wondrous display of decay, slime, parasites, worms, beetles, mushrooms, roots, and the detritus of animals and humans.

0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor is open at the Sturt Haaga Gallery from June 17 through August 27, 10am–4pm daily. Entry to the Sturt Haaga Gallery is included with admission to Descanso Gardens, no reservations required.

0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor is funded in part by Heather and Paul Haaga.

Top image:

Kristin Leachman
Whitebark 1 / (Whitebark Pine, Glacier National Park, MT.)
72x54x2 inches, oil on canvas on panel, 2023

Join us for a curator-led tour of the new gallery exhibit 0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor. Meets at the Sturt Haaga Gallery on June 17 at 11am and 2pm. 

No registration required, free with admission.

About 0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor

.
0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor examines a wealth of subject matter that exists in the parasitological ecosystem of the forest floor. The coexistence of the parasite and the host helps to complete life cycles in some species and the coevolution of both. The exhibition will be installed to create an immersive environment containing works of all media that serves as a metaphor for the mutualism needed to contribute to the earth’s sustainability.

The works in the exhibition will depict nature’s underworld; a wondrous display of decay, slime, parasites, worms, beetles, mushrooms, roots, and the detritus of animals and humans.

0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor is open at the Sturt Haaga Gallery from June 17 through August 27, 10am–4pm daily. Entry to the Sturt Haaga Gallery is included with admission to Descanso Gardens, no reservations required.

0 Horizon: Art of the Forest Floor is funded in part by Heather and Paul Haaga.

Top image:

Kristin Leachman
Whitebark 1 / (Whitebark Pine, Glacier National Park, MT.)
72x54x2 inches, oil on canvas on panel, 2023

Come explore, play and create with us under the oaks on the Main Lawn. Families with young children (age 2–5 years old) will enjoy doing arts and crafts and nature exploration together each month.

No registration required, free with admission or membership.

Come explore, play and create with us under the oaks on the Main Lawn. Families with young children (age 2–5 years old) will enjoy doing arts and crafts and nature exploration together each month.

No registration required, free with admission or membership.

Come join our monthly walk for birders of all levels. Bring binoculars!

Keep your bird count tallied on the updated and now downloadable Descanso Bird Checklist.

No reservations required.

MEMBERS ONLY

Join us for songs, puppets and of course books! Great for children ages 2–7 with a caregiver. Meets at Nature’s Table near the Promenade.

No registration required, free with admission.

Registration opens June 15 at 10am

Join artist Virginia Hein for a sketch walk through the gardens on Thursday, July 6 from 5–6:30pm. This class is designed as an introduction to quick location sketching and each participant is given a small panorama sketchbook and waterproof pen (included in class price). Bring a spirit of curiosity, play and experimentation.

$40 for members/$45 for non-members, materials are included. Advance registration required. registration opens June 15 at 10am.

Image: © Virginia Hein