Gardens of the World is a botanical garden located in Thousand Oaks, California, across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, in the city’s downtown center. The park was donated to the town by the founders of a local tourist firm in 2001. Discover more about Thousand Oaks.
A French garden with a waterfall, an English rose garden, an Italian grapevine garden, and a Japanese garden with koi ponds and a pagoda are attractions. Walking and picnicking are popular activities in the park, and guided tours of the gardens are provided. Native California vegetation and paintings of the surviving 21 California missions may be seen in the Californian Mission Courtyard. In this section of the park, there is also a statue of Father Junipero Serra. The botanical garden covers an area of 4.5 acres (1.8 ha).
A concrete walkway around them links the park’s gardens. From across the Civic Arts Plaza, an iron entrance gate leads to a parterre in the French Garden in front of a huge waterfall. The English Perennial & Rose Gardens, with its pergola, is to the right through the arches. There are 400 rose bushes in this Garden. A grape arbor and an Italian chain fountain may be seen at the Italian Garden, which is located near the Bandstand grass. The Japanese Garden, with a koi pond, ornate rock waterfall, pagoda, and stream with a wooden bridge, is tucked away in the corner. Finally, the California Mission Courtyard has paintings representing the 21 existing missions and a Spanish fountain to commemorate the California Missions. Wendy Harper, a landscape artist from Moorpark, created the gardens.
It contains five gardens:
French Garden – The park’s iron entrance gates, just across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from the Civic Arts Plaza, are home to the French Garden, which has a magnificent flowing waterfall. In this Garden, there are two kinds of parterres: one in the shape of a butterfly (“Papillon”) and another in the form of the sun. The French Fountain is an exact duplicate of the Versailles Fountain in France. The foot of the waterfall is surrounded by flowers and short boxwood hedges arranged in an artistic arrangement.
English Perennial & Rose Garden – There are 400 rose bushes in the English Perennial & Rose Garden, which come in various hues and kinds. There are two sorts of roses in the Garden: bush and climber roses. It contains a pergola with several arches and sitting areas.
Italian Garden – The Italian Garden has a beautiful grape arbor and an Italian chain fountain created in the style of old Italian architecture. This Garden also has several unique Cypress trees often seen in Italy’s famous gardens. On top of the Fountain is a Venus De Milo statue. The grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are also present.
Japanese Garden – The original Japanese Pagoda is encircled by a Koi pond, Japanese-style bridges, and bamboo shoots in the Japanese Garden. A stream and a decorative waterfall, Dragon’s Gate Waterfall, may also be found here. The myth claims that if a Koi can swim to the top of the falls, it will transform into a dragon. A crane and a turtle, both emblems of longevity, are carved into the pond’s rock formations.
Mission Courtyard – California’s mission path is shown in the Mission Courtyard. Near the courtyard’s entrance is a monument of Junpero Serra, the priest who built many of California’s missions. The square is lined with colorful, hand-painted murals representing 21 missions by local artists Bridget Duffy and Mark Fenton. Animal prints are traditional emblems of good luck and may be seen on the hand-made tiles. The Spanish Fountain in the courtyard’s center is customarily created with three levels so that poultry, horses, and humans may all drink from it. Olive and citrus trees surround the square.
A reproduction of an American/Victorian Bandstand stands in the heart of the grounds. Musical performances take place on the bandstand, which serves as a theater.