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Occidental, CA

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Western Hills Garden

4.9 (17 reviews)
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Memorial bench honors founders Marshall and Lester
Barbara S.

It had been many years since I visited this magical place. Open on weekends and by appointment, Kent and Hadley (the owners) graciously greeted us on a chilly February afternoon. The 3-acre botanical garden seems to be a natural wonder. Hard to imagine the visionaries. Marshall and Lester, who were inspired to create this garden. It was a joy to see Western Hills after so many years. The magic is still there. Gardeners, landscapers, nature lovers will all find a place to learn, rest, and retreat. Call ahead about visiting and available plants in season. The daily fee is worth every penny. Hundreds of plant varieties many very rare. Tucked away on Coleman Valley Road in Occidental, this is more than a day trip adventure.

So beautiful here. Lovely weather when we went in July, and such beautiful amazing plants! We got a free bouquet of flowers for each of us just for coming, and my daughter got a cute little "magic crystal" for returning the magnifying glass that the worker gave her to look at the plants up close! Lovely little snack and restroom and seating area. Ponds and lovely things to see!

Put this place on your list of "must" visits in Sonoma County. It is "slowly" opening up to public...you have to go to their website and make a reservation. Having just been purchased by new owners, the Press Democrat had a recent article titled "Wonderland Awakens." I am not a gardener...but it was a Wonderland! The plants, trees, flowers were so diversified. Highlights were the winding paths, statuary, a pond with lily pads, and comfortable chairs scattered about. Serene, peaceful, chirping birds...a slice of heaven.

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What a beautiful experience. Amazing garden. Hadley and Kent are amazing hosts. Very fun day trip that we just happened on by chance.

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Review Highlights - Western Hills Garden

“I have taken 2 nature based art classes there in the last year and those have been great too with excellent instructors.”

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Occidental Arts & Ecology Center - One of the MANY diversely delicious nutritious menus

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

4.9(11 reviews)
0.8 mi

I was fortunate enough to recently complete the Food Forest Course at OAEC, which was my first time…read morethere, and it was worth every penny, giving me much more return on my investment. OAEC is an Eden; full of life and love, both bounty and beauty, balanced and achieving abundance. The course was jammed packed; "skipping stones across deep waters," to quote Master Timo. With such breadth and depth to the topic of Food Forest, OAEC offered a plethora of resources to use, and even some to take home, as we dove into many topics including but not limited to: Indigenous systems, site assessment, planning, and implementation; a study and then do process as we learned and then applied knowledge and techniques to a plot of land. The site that OAEC lives with and stewards is breathtaking; the natural beauty was greatly appreciated as I could walk in various directions and experience a new microclimate and ecology. I would be completely content getting lost there absorbing all the phytoncides to my benefit. The food was phenomenal; freshly harvested, diverse both in species and flavor, and provided nutriments to fuel my learning. The food alone (three delicious meals a day plus snacks and a variety of beverages) could easily be the cost of this course attendance ($1350) plus the lodging, and the curriculum, this is a steal! Again, well worth every penny. The lodging was topnotch; various kinds of structures, all offering a safe place during the journey. The facilities were clean and maintained. Glamping without the pricetag. The instruction was unmatched; each expert had their respective, and respectable, backgrounds and articulated the subject matter peacefully and eloquently to a diverse crowd and responded superbly to questions. Kendall, Timo, Redbird, Lyla June, Anniema, Danny, Jim, Nicolas, and all of the support staff and cohort were perfect; each provided input that transformed into the collective experience as we learned together. It was a healing experience. It was a learning experience. We need more OAECs out there. I highly recommend and will be back and remain connected! P.s. The Nursery is a must stop. I stocked up on some natives to spread.

I went to OAEC for a staff retreat that my work booked. We were one of the only groups staying…read morethere not including the regular staff and residents there. We had a really good experiene there, with very great meeting spaces with good wifi, as well as different spaces for hiking. We had the meals made in their kitchen, which was prepared using eggs, fruits and vegetables that are produced there which were very fresh. They also had some homemade breads including gluten free options. One first day there, the staff gave us a tour of the grounds including the gardens where you can pick all the plants, fruits, veggies and herbs that aren't already listed "NOT TO PICK". Their housing was comfortable with the exception of bugs, but that's what happens when you're in the middle of nature. They also had a hot tub area which was very comfortable and well constructed. Also on the grounds as an arboretum to explore different plant life, a barn with chickens and goats, and pond which people can swin and paddle board on. Other wildlife including deers roam the grounds. I'd really recommend this place for a retreat space. Shoutout to the staff for maintaining it.

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Occidental Arts & Ecology Center - A lunch at OAEC

A lunch at OAEC

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

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Moon Valley Nurseries

Moon Valley Nurseries

4.7(95 reviews)
13.0 mi

Moon Valley Nursery and designer, Ashley Eddy made this project feel like much more than…read morelandscaping. It was a beautiful mission with a vision. We are creating a landscape for a senior community, where thriving trees, fruit trees, flowers, birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies can nourish the heart and create opportunities for residents to step outside, linger, notice the seasons, and connect with one another. Ashley Eddy understood that mission immediately. She didn't simply help me choose trees--she visualized what we were trying to create. Touring the vast nursery with Ashley in our little open-air "botanical safari vehicle" was like having a landscape designer, master horticulturalist, botanist, and wonderfully charming docent all in one. She could look at a tree and help me imagine not just where it would go, but what it might contribute to the life of the community. Ashley guided me through climate, foliage, placement, fruiting trees, seasonal interest, and varieties that would attract birds and butterflies. Her knowledge was extraordinary, but equally important was her ability to listen. She understood that our goal wasn't simply beautiful grounds--it was beauty with purpose. The entire Moon Valley team carried that same spirit, from our adventure through acres of plants and trees, to conducting business in the office, to delivery. Everything was done with knowledge, warmth, humor, and genuine joy in bringing living things to their new home. Someday a resident may pick a piece of fruit, watch a hummingbird visit a blossom, sit beneath one of these trees with a neighbor, or simply say, "Look how much that tree has grown." That is what we were really planting. Thank you, Ashley and Moon Valley Nursery, for understanding that from the very beginning.

Was in the market for a tree, and, like 2 years ago when I called, I felt like I was talking to a…read moreused car salesman on the phone. So pushy!! Just off putting! I just want come in and look at a tree. Is business so lean that you need to talk down to people? Full disclosure I used to be in the landscape business, but conversations were always relaxed with vendors (that I didn't know)...dial it back! Please! I went elsewhere. I can't imagine the hard sell that I would have experienced had I "hit the lot!"

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Moon Valley Nurseries
Moon Valley Nurseries - Moon Valley Nurseries Santa Rosa, CA - Big Shade Trees

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Western Hills Garden - gardening - Updated November 2026

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