Balboa Park Gardens, Botanical garden in Balboa Park, San Diego, US.
Balboa Park Gardens is a botanical garden spread across multiple themed sections, ranging from tropical greenhouse displays to extensive drought-resistant plant collections. The gardens are distributed throughout the park grounds, offering diverse plant types and design approaches across their various areas.
Balboa Park was preserved for public recreational use from 1835, making it one of the oldest such sites in the United States. It takes its name from the conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa. The Botanical Building and its lily pond were built for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, and the Japanese garden traces back to a tea house from that fair. The Casa del Rey Moro garden was designed by Richard Requa for the 1935 California-Pacific International Exposition. The park was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
The Japanese Friendship Garden grew out of a tea house from the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition. The Casa del Rey Moro Garden was designed by Richard Requa for the 1935 California-Pacific International Exposition. The Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden is a popular backdrop for newlywed photographs.
The entrance is located along the main park pathway, and entry is free. Plan to spend a full morning or afternoon to comfortably explore the different garden sections at your own pace.
The Botanical Building, built for the 1915-16 exposition, is one of the world's largest lath-wood structures and holds more than 2,100 permanent plants, including cycads, ferns, orchids and palms. Its lily pond in front is among the most photographed spots in the park.
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