Descanso Gardens

Sixteen distinct garden areas cover the 150 acres E. Manchester Boddy bought in 1937, from the Camellia Forest and Japanese Garden to an oak woodland and a lilac garden threaded by a paved promenade. Boddy planted up to 100,000 camellias bought from two Japanese-owned nurseries before selling the land to Los Angeles County in 1953. His own 22-room mansion, designed by James Dolena in the Hollywood Regency style, still stands on the property and now holds exhibits on the gardens' history after renovations in 2007 and 2019.