Hortense Miller Garden

Environmentalist and author Hortense Miller (1908~2008) was a resident of Laguna Beach most of her life. Starting in 1959 and between the ages of 51 and 93, she created a private garden on the steep slopes of her 2.5-acre property here. Her knowledge of plants became so great that many leading horticulturists used to seek her out for consultation.

In 1976, Miller donated her land to the city so that the general public would be able to enjoy her landscaping efforts in perpetuity. Fertilizers were used sparingly, resulting in a rather wild mix of native coastal scrub, blooming perennials, tropical succulents, and such exotic plants as towering puya stalks from Chile. Also see here are the lilac blooms of a large Japanese Wisteria in the spring. The garden was designed so that a profusion of flowers can be viewed during all seasons.

Today the venue is maintained by volunteers and members of the Friends of the Hortense Miller Gardens and the Orange County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. The address is 22511 Allview Terrace, Laguna Beach, California 92651. Guided tours are available every Tuesday through Saturday from 9:45am till noon, only by making an advance reservation through the City of Laguna Beach Recreation Department. The tour is free and lasts about two hours.