CHS Gardens


Gardens

Among the features of the Homestead Acre are the extensive gardens that surround the cottage and museum. At the foot of the Santa Susana mountains, backed by native oaks and chaparral, the gardens portray 'a little bit of yesterday' with blooming plants, large sandstone boulders and a natural creek.

A Garden Scene

In their present state of development, the gardens surrounding the redwood Pioneer Cottage reflect a California garden style that was popular in the suburban areas about 1910.

Pioneer Cottage and Surrounding Plants

Many fruit trees and numerous old-fashioned exotic
shrubs and bulbs were planted by Minnie Palmer over forty years ago. A large garden of early hybrid tea and polyantha roses are in bloom from late March through December.

On the east of the property an enormous hybrid
black walnut tree, believed to have been planted about 1900, shades a large, flat grassy area which is used for meetings, programs and other events at the Acre.

At the front (south) of the Acre the Sheila M. Watts memorial raised planter bed has recently been completed.

The Sheila M. Watts Memorial Garden

In the last year, two small areas have been planted with California native plants exclusively. Backed by California native shrubs, the newest garden is a small demonstration of the historical native grasses and wildflowers that once covered the San Fernando Valley.