2026 Home Garden Tour

Celebrate the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Centennial with one of the Garden’s most beloved traditions. The Home Garden Tour is a unique, self-guided experience that invites guests into inspiring local gardens rooted in California native plants, sustainability, and climate-resilient design. Originally created as a volunteer-exclusive experience, the Home Garden Tour later expanded to include Garden members while preserving its personal and educational spirit. In honor of the 100th anniversary, the Garden is pleased to welcome the broader community to enjoy this special event as part of the Centennial celebration.

Details:

Guests will explore a curated selection of at least 10 private home gardens located throughout the greater Santa Barbara area, each composed of at least 60 percent California native plants. Homes will be organized into two visiting sessions, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., allowing flexibility for guests to plan their visits throughout the day. A mid-day break has been intentionally scheduled to allow time for lunch, and participants are welcome to plan this time as they wish. Visitors may consider enjoying one of the many public parks in the City of Santa Barbara, including Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, which features a native plant plot. Each garden reflects the passion, creativity, and environmental commitment of local hosts who are helping shape a more sustainable future.

Ticket purchases directly support the mission of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to conserve California native plants, promote environmental stewardship, and inspire the community through education and connection to nature. Join us for this special Centennial event and experience the beauty, creativity, and impact of native plant gardening across the community.

Location

For privacy, host names, addresses, photographs, and biographies will be shared only with registered participants shortly before the event. These materials will help guests plan their visits and connect more deeply with the individuals behind these gardens.

Pricing

Garden Members: $15

General Public: $20

Host Previews:

Christian and Melissa have always been big fans of the Botanic Garden. When their 3 acres burned in the Jesusita fire, they saw an opportunity to re-landscape the property with natives and seized it. 16 years later the plantings are thriving, and providing a comfortable stop-off for visiting bobcats, foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions. 

Randy and Darrolyn have been members of the garden for 9 years and volunteers in the Garden Nursery for 7 years. We are fanatics for native plants approaching a spiritual level. When we moved to Santa Barbara, we completely redid the yard to make it over 90 percent native. We enjoy their beauty, sense of place, the attracted wildlife, and appreciate their importance in response to the drought and biodiversity crisis. We start every day with an enjoyable stroll through our garden and are pleased to be able to show it to other native plant enthusiasts. 

Refund Policy:

We require at least 72 hours’ notice for cancellations. Refunds will be issued to the original form of payment, minus a 15% processing fee. Cancellations made within 72 hours of the class start time are nonrefundable and cannot be rescheduled.