San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, Mediterranean climate botanical garden in San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden occupies 150 acres in El Chorro Regional Park, between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay. Its planned gardens represent the five Mediterranean climate zones: the Mediterranean Basin, California, Chile, Australia and South Africa. The 2-acre Preview Garden opened in 1997, and a 4,000-square-foot educational center opened in 2007.

The idea for the garden emerged in 1989, and Friends of SLO Botanical Garden was incorporated in 1991. In 1993 the county signed a 40-year renewable lease for 150 acres in El Chorro Regional Park, and the 2-acre Preview Garden opened in 1997. The master plan, greenhouse and nursery were completed in 1998, followed by a 4,000-square-foot educational center in 2007.

The garden's name comes from the Friends of SLO Botanical Garden, the nonprofit incorporated in 1991 that still runs the site with San Luis Obispo County. Its Gardens of Exploration, planned for 11 acres, group demonstration plots around horticultural therapy, ecology, biology, cultural influences and horticultural opportunities. The entry road is lined with an avenue of Mediterranean cypress mixed with broad-leaf evergreens.

The site includes a 4,000-square-foot educational center where visitors can join guided tours or classes led by staff and volunteers. Plan to spend several hours exploring the grounds, and check ahead to learn what programs are offered during your visit.

The garden is divided into sections based on plant origins: California chaparral, Chilean Matorral, Cape Province flora, and Australian eucalyptus collections. This layout lets visitors understand how different ecosystems develop across the world without traveling far.