Shout out to Alexandra Nicklen, our garden coordinator, plant expert, and badass photographer, who captured these busy hummingbirds gathering nectar from the bottlebrush trees in our Australian Garden. Bottlebrush is a garden staple in California but is native to Australia. It is often sold as a shrub but can grow as a tree over 25 feet tall. It is known for its graceful, drooping branches that end in tufted flowers. They come in bright purple, pink, red, yellow, white, and green varieties and typically appear in Spring and Summer, attracting nectar-feeding birds and insects. They are especially attractive to bees and hummingbirds, who can be seen and heard buzzing around Taft Gardens in great numbers, like a fine symphony. It is a wonderful time to visit our secret garden and immerse yourself in the healing sounds and sights of nature. Taft Gardens is open for self-guided tours from Tuesday to Saturday. Limited slots are available by reservation only. Please book 24 hours in advance. ... 📸 @alexandra.nicklin ... #ojai #ojaivalley #secretgarden #hummingbirds #hummingbird #bottlebrush #bottlebrushtrees #australiannatives #australiannativeplants #australiannativeflowers #alexandranicklin

Art in Nature Walk Saturday, April 27, 2024 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Join Cassandra C. Jones, Artist and Arts Chair of the Taft Gardens Residency Program, for a unique look at the property from a creative perspective. Jones will guide guests through the South African and Australian Gardens to the art studios to see what the artists-in-residence are working on. She will offer an oral history of Taft, stories and education about botanicals in bloom, and insight into how the space inspires regional artists. This walking tour would benefit anyone interested in contemporary art, unusual plants, and local history. Cassandra's tour was unfortunately canceled last month due to rain. This Saturday, the forecast calls for warm, sunny weather, so we are on schedule as planned. Please join us! The link is in our bio under Events. ... 📸 @marcaltphoto ... #ojai #ojaivalley #artinnature #santabarbaraartists #centralcoastart #secretgarden #guiededtour #artistresidency #mathinnature #ojaiexperience #localhistory #jpegmountain

Behold! A light rain came through Taft Gardens this morning, bejeweling our Brandi Dela Cruz. These rays of sunshine are in the Leucospermum Genus and the Proteaceae Family. They are among the most coveted varieties of Pincushions and will make your heart sing, especially when water droplets bedazzle them. Pictured here in its many stages of becoming, these large blooms thrive in full sun and make excellent cut flowers. But while they are stunning, drizzled in watery gems, you will want to avoid over-irrigating them. They tend to thrive on neglect, which makes them easy plants to care for if planted correctly. Botanical Name: Brandi Dela Cruz Common Name: Pincushion Category: Shrub Family: Proteaceae (Proteas) Genus: Leucospermum Origin: South Africa You can see our Brandi Dela Cruz on the wide path between the South African and Aloe Gardens. We are open for self-guided tours from Tuesday to Saturday. Limited slots are available by reservation only. Please book 24 hours in advance. The link to book tickets is in our bio. ... 📸 Cassandra C. Jones @jpegmountain ... #ojai #ojaivalley #secretgarden #selfguidedtour #protea #leucospermum #proteas #shrub #southafricannatives #superbloom #bradidelacruz

In honor of Earth Day, we thought you might like to know that Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve has the most huggable trees! According to the Scottish Wildlife Trust, "Research shows that spending time around trees can reduce stress, improve immunity, lower blood pressure, and accelerate recovery from illness or trauma. Furthermore, when you hug a tree, you release a hormone called oxytocin – known as the hormone of love and trust – which gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling." On your next visit, we invite you to wrap your arms around a Brachychiton rupestris, also known as a Bottle Tree. Three of these huggable beauties are located directly across from the Lilly Lawn, next to the Austrailian Grass Tress. Rest your head on their bulbous forms and sink into feelings of well-being and calm. Limited reservations are available, Tuesday through Saturday. Please book 24 hours in advance. ... 📸 @marcaltphoto ... #ojai #ojaivalley #bottletree #earthday #earthday2024 #huggable #wellbeing #oxytocin #natureheals #naturelovers #treehugger #rosemaryhhall

The Pom Pom Flame Tips are in full bloom at Taft Gardens! In the Proteas family, this variety of Leucadendron is a showstopper as it does something extraordinary in the Springtime. Its blue-green bracts turn ivory and sprout an egg-shaped center with a vibrant gradient that transitions from canary yellow to fire engine red. Its striking appearance can stop people in their tracks, making it one of our all-time favorite plants in the South African Garden. Common Name: Pom Pom Flame Tip Category: Shrub Family: Proteaceae (Proteas) Genus: Leucadendron Species: discolor Origin: South Africa (Africa) We are excited to have such a robust super bloom this year and love sharing Springtime with all who find their way to our secret garden tucked into the Santa Ana Canyon. Visit our website to book a self-guided tour or attend one of our upcoming events. There is always something magical to discover at Taft. Links in bio. ... 📸 Cassandra C. Jones @jpegmountain ... #ojai #ojaivalley #secretgarden #selfguidedtour #pompomflametip #leucadendron #proteas #shrub #discolor #southafricannatives #superbloom

On behalf of the entire staff at Taft Gardens, we wish a very HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY to our fearless founder and diehard naturalist, John Taft! Many of you know and love him because you have been here to watch the gardens in Santa Ana Canyon grow over the past 40+ years. Or you have been involved in other conservation projects with him in Africa or the Centennial Valley of Montana. Some have seen him as a teacher and resource for understanding the natural world. Others have been lucky enough to catch a golf cart tour with him through Taft Gardens and have been charmed to hear his stories about nature, local history, and many adventures. In celebration of John and as a gift to everyone who makes this place thrive, all Self-Guided Tour visitors through April 27th will receive a free potted Taft Gardens succulent. Instead of giving him gifts, he has asked supporters to donate towards our effort to build a sustainable endowment. We have set up the John Taft Legacy fund to help us keep John's vision thriving for generations to come and ensure the ongoing stewardship of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.  The link to donate is in our bio. ... #ojai #ojaivalley #centralcoast #santaanacanyon #johntaft #secretgarden #naturalist #taftgardens #founder #birthday #happybirthday #90thbirthday

Join us for a Nature Immersion Walk guided by Elena Rios @elenarios.innernature Saturday, April 20, 2024 9:00 AM 11:30 AM Experience a slow, immersive nature connection walk that honors ancient human practices found in Indigenous Knowledge worldwide. Unlike a typical naturalist walk, our gathering focuses on relaxation, sensory observation, and being present in the moment rather than on plant names. This integrative mindfulness practice allows you to notice things in new ways, letting go of distractions. Discover the health benefits of Forest Bathing as we reset our nervous systems, reduce stress hormones, and enhance mood, creativity, and cognition. Through this experience, we reconnect with the Interconnection of All Things and our relationship with the Earth. The event concludes with a soothing tea made from native plants and wholesome snacks, offering a nourishing end to our journey. Join us for a profound exploration of nature's wisdom and our place within it. You can find the ticket link in our bio under "Events." ... #ojai #ojaivalley # #natureimmersion #elenarios #relaxation #mindfulness #observation

You never know who you will meet at Taft Gardens! Fully formed adult Polyphemus moths do not eat or drink and, therefore, have a remarkably short lifespan of less than a week. Their entire life cycle, which includes 10 days as an egg, five or six weeks as a caterpillar, two weeks as a pupa in the cocoon, and a short stint as an adult, takes about three months to complete. They are named after a famed character in Greek mythology, the one-eyed cyclops, Polyphemus, and are harmless. They will not bite you. But they can cause skin irritation in some people, so we do not recommend handing them unless you know you are not allergic. Spring is the best time of year to see them at Taft Gardens. Discovering one is like finding a golden Easter egg, which makes for a magical day out in nature. We are open for self-guided tours from Tuesday to Saturday by reservation only. Twenty slots are available daily. We also offer a range of guided tours that you can sign up for on our Events page. Link in bio. Please book 24 hours in advance. ... 📸 Cassandra C. Jones @jpegmountain ... #polyphemusmoth #giantmoth #ojai #ojaitours #ojaivalley #ojaiadventure #centralcoast #secretgarden #specialspot #australiangarden

Congratulations to Shana Moulton @shanamoulton, Taft Garden's 2022/23 Invitational Artist-in-Residence, on her solo show and five performances at the Museum of Modern Art, New York @themuseumofmodernart. "What exercises can help me feel myself in a new way?" Shana Moulton's alter ego, Cynthia, asks in "Meta/Physical Therapy" — a dreamlike site-specific installation in MoMA's Kravis Studio featuring live performances created in collaboration with composer Nick Hallett. The performance brings Cynthia's inner world to life as she navigates personal choices, physical limitations, and societal messaging around aging and wellness. Taking the form of a medical ritual, musicians double as care providers who guide Cynthia toward the discovery of her deep connection to the universe. Moulton and Hallett have combined visual and sonic references including pharmaceutical commercials, pop songs from the late 1990s/early 2000s, the Seven Stages of Alchemy, and phenomena that occur during psychedelic hallucination. The resulting work is a meditation on cycles of loss and renewal and on finding the mystical in the everyday. 🏺Performances are sold out, but you can still see the exhibition "Shana Moulton: Meta/Physical Therapy" at MoMA through April 21. — Shana Moulton with Nick Hallett. "Meta/Physical Therapy." 2024. Performed at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, April 11, 2024, as part of "Shana Moulton: Meta/Physical Therapy," February 17–April 21, 2024. Performers: Nava Dunkelman, Shayna Dunkelman, Nick Hallett, Raquel Acevedo Klein, Anaïs Maviel, and Shana Moulton. Video: Oresti Tsonopoulous. © 2024 The Museum of Modern Art, New York

Happy California Poppy Day!! Observed each year on April 6, this day honors the bright orange beauty that became California's official state flower in 1903. Also known as "golden poppy," "California sunlight," or "cup of gold," it is one of the most striking wildflowers in the Ojai Valley. We at Taft Gardens love this season, as do our tiny friends and helpers. Share this wonderful time of year with all of us! Taft Gardens is open for self-guided tours from Tuesday to Saturday by reservation only. Twenty slots are available daily and often sell out. Guests must book at least 24 hours in advance. ... #ojai #ojaivalley #californiapoppy #californiasunlight #cupofgold #pollinators #pollinators🐝 #caelifera #bees #grasshopper #bumblebee

Only a few days are left to buy tickets for the first "Intro to Birding," guided by local avian biologist Peter Larramendy. There are two opportunities to attend: April 6th in the Taft Nature Preserve and April 13th in the Botanical Garden. Please note: The Santa Ana Creek flows over the road to Taft Gardens in two places. Due to recent rains we recommend visitors travel in vehicles with 6" or more of clearance off the ground. This height ensures a safe and comfortable drive over those crossings. You can find the ticket link in our bio under "Events." 📸 Alexandra Nicklin @alexandra.nicklin 🐧 Rufous Crowned Sparrow #taft #taftgardens #birding #ojai #ojaivalley #ojaievents #ojailove #sparrow