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    Water Conservation Garden

    4.7 (66 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Water Conservation Garden Botanical Gardens Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Carla O.

    I have seen this place grow so beautiful over the years. It has expanded in so many ways that I am continually coming back to visit. I like how all the landscaping is designed to complement Southern California's weather. If you are looking for landscaping ideas for your home or business, want to buy plants and flowers, check out the cute Giftshop for great gifts, and learn about Water Conservation tips living in Southern California, this is a peaceful and gorgeous place to visit and admire. Keep In mind the second Friday of each month, there is FREE Admission! A beautifully landscaped secret garden ready to explore! #sandiego #waterconservationgarden #southerncalifornia #gardening

    Kathy G.

    We had my daughter's bridal shower at the Garden. So beautiful and the staff were so easy to work with and made the event almost seamless. I so appreciated working with Lauren and Tim and Hannah. It was a very special event for us and we are so happy to support this amazing Venue!!!

    Marilyn N.

    As soon as you turn left onto Cuyamaca College Drive make the first right before entering onto the school campus. (I complete missed the low blue sign and drove around campus for 20 mins- the worker at the horticulture building was kind enough to take me to where I was supposed to go. ) If you see 'student services' you've gone too far LOL. This was part of our https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/rap/ membership so admission was free. The kids liked the scavenger hunt paper by the ticket booth. Dirt path thru the whole garden but we were ok with an umbrella stroller. Lots of shaded areas to sit and relax. The kids favorite spots were the tortoises, Jurassic garden and water surprise! Sadly no butterflies in the enclosure not even one! we were able to see more throughout the park. Stop by the freezer before you leave and make a donation to the popsicle fund.

    An S.

    What a hidden gem! Did you know the second Friday of every month the Water Conservation Garden offers FREE ADMISSIONS? I didn't know until I looked at their webpage just to see what the admission costs would be since this was also my first time here so I did a little homework. Getting here is pretty easy! It's right next to Cuyamaca College, parking can be a little difficult if the lot is full inside but there's also street parking. Bathrooms are clean & there's water fountains. I'm not so sure about food but popsicles are free from donations. First off, I really love that the paths and trails are wheelchair/stroller accessible & friendly and that there were so many tables available for a quick picnic or snack. It's very peaceful here and great for all ages. The garden is very educational is so many ways, from plants to landscaping- I was only there for a quick little outing & did not get the chance to explore much but I'll definitely come back again. Here are some photos from my Friday morning.

    Chocolate flower
    Tina C.

    Beautiful botanical garden! Sooo much to see! Next time I definitely want to go when they have the tours. Also, went on a much cooler day. Great time. They were even setting up for a wedding, looked to be beautiful! Find the chocolate flower and give it a sniff! (My fav) The vegetable garden was my favorite part! They also have a butterfly enclosure.

    Cement fire trucks in the fire safety area
    Mickayla M.

    What a gorgeous, and relaxing, way to spend a day. I have come here a handful times with my children and regularly recommend to family and friends that they do the same. The gardens are beautifully manicured as well as educational. The grounds are broken up into different sections, each section with a designated learning experience discussing things like- drought friendly plants, fire safety around homes, different ways to plant and feed your greenery, etc. There is also a butterfly exhibit that comes alive every late spring and is so magical! The kids area, surrounded by tree tunnels, a tractor for climbing, and a Dino dig, is super engaging to my littles. I recently learned that the third Friday of every month js free so I plan to come more regularly! Lastly, be sure to check out their website, as they offer field trips, yoga classes, and other experiences on the grounds.

    Lily pond
    Nhu N.

    The Garden recently reopened in June with a few changes. Admission is required for entry. $8 for adults, $5 for students, senior and military. Children age 3 and up are $4 and under age 2 are free. All staff were wearing masks and hand sanitizer was available all throughout the garden, strategically placed anywhere you have to touch a door handle or a gate. This was my first visit. I arrived on a Saturday right when it first opened. Lucky for us we had the garden to ourselves for the first 30 minutes. We probably spent almost 2 hours there taking our time strolling through the different paths and just enjoying being outside with nature. The highlights for me was the lily pond at the entrance, visiting the 3 tortoises, and the various water fountains. The butterfly garden was cool and I look forward to coming back when the butterflies are there. Of course the free ice cream is a bonus too :). There are succulents for sale that can be purchased at the gift shop and all reasonably priced. They host various events throughout the month which can be found on their website. Yoga is offered two times a week. Free for members and $12 for non-members. Next time I come back I will wear different shoes. Most of the garden is dirt beginning from the parking lot. Only various parts have cement. It definitely can get messy. The trails are flat and there isn't much incline anywhere. There was a few paths that had stairs/steps that you can't push a stroller on but for the most part the entire garden is accessible. Also I will be prepared with bug spray. Mosquitos were definitely on the hunt. I enjoyed my visit so much that I became a member. Now I have access to over 300 reciprocal gardens nationwide. This includes the Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park and the Encinitas Botanical Garden as well. Linda at the front desk was so helpful and so nice to us. She applied our day passes to our annual membership purchase and took the time to explain the programs available. Definitely worth a morning stroll and somewhere to enjoy with your family or little kids.

    Marcus F.

    A free (suggested $5 donation) botanic garden. This experience consists of several casual trails that take you through various gardens and exhibits focusing on beauty and drought tolerance. It took about an hour to see everything here but we also took another hour visiting the adjoining Heritage of the America's museum ( see tip below). Like with the San Diego Botanical Gardens there are many special events held here including kid programs, garden classes, and big events like Halloween trick or treating. Tip - The best experience here isn't the botanic garden, it's the Heritage of the America's museum next door. While you're in the botanic garden you can walk up stairs and visit the museum. The price is $3 per adult, kids free.. It's an approachable artifact and art collections of the Americas..

    Inside Jurassic Garden
    Roz E.

    Looking for places to be outside during COVID and stumbled across this garden! It is open 9a-2p Tuesday to Sunday. From what I can tell, you used to be able to roam the garden for free, but since they re-opened, they do charge $8 for adults; Seniors, students & military $5; and $4 for those 3-17 yrs old. Plus, you get free ice cream with admission! Just help yourself! It was pretty nice and not many people at all! They had it decorated for the holidays. I think it would look really nice at night! There is a butterfly exhibit, but it's not the season, so you won't see any butterflies right now. They have different exhibits to check out so take your time to just stroll through the grounds. They have an area called Jurassic Garden and it looks like it's a play area for the little ones. There's even a John Deere vehicle for a photo op in front of Jurassic Park! You could probably do events here as it has a gazebo and an amphitheater. They even have picnic tables inside. They have a section of plants that you can touch. That was cool! There is this plant called big-lear lambs ears and I think I could touch it all day long. Super soft! There is topiary area. Now who doesn't like shrubs the shape of some animal? :-) Have you seen Edward Scissorhands? I really enjoyed my visit here! I would say we stayed about a couple hours walking around and taking pictures! I would totally come back! If you're in the area, check it out!

    Kerri T.

    Beautiful educational garden! We almost couldn't find it, then realized it's right next to Cuymaca College. Amazing space of greenery and butterflies, and mulch, and grass, and natives, and more natives and it's just glorious! We were sad to see the tortoises were not out on view, too chilly in Feb for them to be out. Loved walking through the wide variety of plants, trees and gardens. Peaceful, enjoyable and happy to see a little gift shop and clean bathrooms

    Toru M.

    Stopped by on our way to Alpine and super glad we did! Even before we got in we where greeted by super friendly staff. Each of the garden area where beautifully curated with interesting landscaping info and tips. Many picnic tables available if you'd like to bring your lunch (reminders everywhere to social distance and only 1 fam per bench). We ran out of time but would love to spend more time there if we're ever in the area (would consider becoming a member too if I lived closer). Biggest plus for us is that its dog friendly so we could bring our pup. Keep up the amazing job everyone at the garden!

    Teresa J.

    I've been here a few times with my kids, ages 1 and 3. It's very kid friendly. Lots of hands on exhibits and room to run around. They have a children's play area in the back which is super cute. It has a little house and sand pit with toys. We also love the amphitheater where the kids can run around on stage. The sensory garden and fairy garden are fun, and even the compost exhibit is fun. This place is great to come to when the kids need to get some energy out and you're up for a little walking, maybe some sitting lol. The place is stroller friendly, even though the paths are dirt. I've never been on the weekend so not sure how crowded it gets then but there's barely anyone during the week except for other moms with kids. We usually bring our lunch since there's plenty of nice places to sit and eat. They have a small parking lot and if it gets full, you can park anywhere, except in red areas. Dirt lot is open too. I wish they had more activities for kids, maybe once a month. I would even be willing to pay a few $$ for it - storytime, music n motion, hands on gardening, etc. But overall, we love this place.

    Entrance
    Jack M.

    This place is only pleasant to walk around for a while and check things out, but it is also very informative. In fact, once a year I bring my third grade students hear for a study trip. If you are thinking of landscaping or xeriscaping your yard, this place is a must to visit before you start. Even if you are just planning to add a few plants to your garden, you should visit this place. Given that we import 90% of our water here in Southern California, it is important that we conserve water smartly. The Conservation Garden has a variety of ideas from drought tolerant plants to different types of ideas for mulches to use to help conserve water. They regularly have tours and demonstrations for the general public. They also have an on-sight nursery as well.

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    Free. Pretty. Picture spot. Turtle spotting. Ampitheater to run around. Love this little spot.

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    A little tricky to find since it's located on the Cuyamaca College campus but just look for the signs.

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    Johnny's Landscape & Maintenance

    Johnny's Landscape & Maintenance

    4.3(70 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    31 years in business
    Available by appointment

    My partner reached out to Johnny's for an estimate on weed removal on a Tuesday, we have a small…read moreback and front yard. She received a quote and sent me the phone # to schedule since she was busy at work. I reached out, sent photos, and awaited a response. The person I was texting asked if we were looking for reoccurring service or the one time weed removal when I replied requesting just one time service I didn't hear back. I texted again requesting an estimate, no response. Texted again the next day on Wednesday and they finally requested my information. I sent my info, received an email to sign an estimate agreement and after signing and sending it right back I received no response. I texted back that we would be going with a different service who was able to schedule us in. I'm usually really patient but the lack of communication is what bothered me. They were quick to reach back out after sending initial photos but after I opted for a one time service instead of reoccurring services is when I stopped hearing back so quickly. No shade at all if a business doesn't want to offer their services or prefers bigger projects but I would have appreciated better transparency and communication. I'm sure others have had more positive experiences but for me personally I wouldn't recommend this business. I believe in treating every customer with the same respect and willingness to communicate regardless of project size.

    Johnny took care of my project right away. Did it in one day ripped out all the grass covered it…read morewith the weed fabric and filled it with gravel and it looks great.! gave me a great price too! Super nice guy highly recommend. Did it exactly how I requested.

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    Johnny's Landscape & Maintenance - Front yard project almost complete.

    Front yard project almost complete.

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    Water Conservation Garden - gardens - Updated May 2026

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