Gardens of the World

What a beautiful place! A true gem, and completely free! I greatly enjoyed wandering the unique and lovely gardens, a serene escape. My favorites were the Japanese pagoda and the French garden fountain. Transporting, I would return!

This is a wonderful spot just off the 101 freeway. It's a beautiful oasis in the middle of TO. The gardens are stunning. They are beautifully manicured. The fountains and waterfalls are lovely. There are so many colorful flowers. It's just a serene place to spend some time. There is no charge to enjoy the scenery. We highly recommend you visit here. You can even bring your picnic as there is a picnic area.

Very tranquil and beautiful. Lots of various gardens and fountains. Great place for some pictures, and just to walk around and relax. Easily accessible by waking and driving, and you can easily start your self tour with yhe maps provided at each entrance. Highly recommend checking this place out if you enjoy beautiful flowers, calming environments and some history

A little gem in the center of the city. A clean and well maintained garden and most importantly not very crowded. There are a lot of benches where one can enjoy a book. The parking lot is small and has limited space, but there are parking spaces across the street. The entrance and the parking are free. I highly recommend to visit the garden.

Was looking for fountains and found this hidden gem in Thousand Oaks. Went on a Thursday, 1 hour before closing. Lovely day and weather to enjoy spring in the themed gardens. Italian, French, Spanish, Japanese, and English gardens with flowers, statues, and fountains. The dominant fountain is the Italian Chain Fountain. However, I really enjoyed the Japanese Garden with its koi fish pond and themed lanterns lighting the path. Parking is through the gate, up the driveway and around the back. Little slice of green heaven in TO.

Beautiful garden and so much love and care is put into this place. My son and I loved walking and exploring. We even had a chance to feed the koi fish.

Just happened to be in the area and saw this little gem was near by. This being or first visit, our first impression was seen from the parking lot entrance. This was an underwhelming spot to first see the garden because it offers a limited view, and this being early spring, very bare. If we had entered from the street, it would have been so much more grand! This place is extremely well kept and packs a lot in a small footprint. The Japanese garden is beautiful. The cascading fountain at the street entrance sets you up for how special this place is. Parking is free in the small lot and there is no entrance fee. Bathrooms are wheelchair accessible and clean. The entire garden has paved paths for access as well. The staff are friendly and welcoming. A definite stop to recharge your spirit and relax for a bit!

What a lovely set of gardens! Wandered through on a weekday, and enjoyed everything blooming. Docent staff was polite and unobtrusive.

My daughter loves all things outdoors so this was a quick must once we discovered it. It's easy to miss when driving but beautiful once you arrive! It is easily walkable and accessible for strollers or wheel chairs! The koi pond was beautiful and it is so well kept! Looking forward to coming back!

Simply beautiful!! As we started our walk at the French Garden, we met a wonderful Docent -- Paul Driscoll. He was so kind to chat with us about the special history of the gardens, mention some details to pay attention to in each section and share some personal experiences. He made special mention of the Resource Center where artists are featured. It's a spacious air-conditioned room with comfortable couches. All are welcome to relax, view the art and get more information. We followed the free guide to walk the paved pathways through each area, appreciating the meticulous work and extended efforts to maintain the lush, impeccable grounds. There are numerous benches for breaks and to take in the beautiful views. Paul mentioned that there were summer concerts pre-Covid. People would picnic on the grass and socialize around the Bandstand while enjoying music. He thinks they may be back next year -- we'll definitely return for that! In the meantime, we look forward to our next visit. We plan to bring lunch and a good book. :)

Didn't even see the park. They said I was part of an organized group when we are not. We were just 3 adults. The lady with short blond hair who looked and sounded like a manager spoke over me and very forcefully say I'm an organized group when we are now. Say I HAVE TO MAKE A RESERVATION over and over not really letting me speak we were just 3 adults Also was turned away. I asked if this was open to the public she said yes. I asked if all people had to make reservations she said no but organized groups do. I told her again we are not an organized group she still refused and said I will have to have workers out in the garden as if we needed supervision for grown people, but thank you Linda for showing us bad, customer service. It would've been better if you would've just been more polite, not speaking in a rush not so eager to kick us out and just give us the right information take a breath when you talk and not talk over people you were talking over me constantly , and then answering questions that I didn't even ask like Let me ask you the question before you give me the wrong answer to a question that I didn't even ask RUDE WONT LET ME SPEAK AND TURNED AWAY. If I do decide to come here again, avoiding her at all cost

So pretty I've lived here over 10 years and in Ventura county my whole life and I just went for the first time the other day. A must GO! Beautiful walk through the gardens I love all the plants trees water features and the history of all the missions.

Great place to visit in the Thousand Oaks area! The entrance fee is free and the place has several beautiful gardens. I highly recommend it.

The place is very nice and serene and pretty. BUT, like others said. OMG. The Hogans must be rolling in their graves. Did not have the wrath of Linda, but had the wrath of a man. The sign does NOT say friends and family that number 6 or more are not allowed, unless you call to make a reservation. WHY? They talk about organizations, but grandparents with adult children and grandchildren numbering 6 or more are not welcome without a reservation, nor a group of friends, which would be 3 couples, nor parents with 4 kids. Such a turn off for a place that is supposed to be a free and welcoming place. I can see if you want a docent led leader, you'd want to call, but they don't want you on the premises. Such a shame! Agree 1 star for RUDE behaviors......Gave 3, due to the pretty place.

Garden of the worlds. This is a must for my family. It's my daughter favorite place in all of westlake/T.O. It a beautiful calming serene walk. You forget where you are for a second. There is a bit of history and so much beauty. The Koi fish so a sight. It's a beautiful peace of heaven to enjoy and just take a step away from everyday life.

The Hogan family of Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays created a petite gem of a botanical garden right in the heart of Thousand Oaks for the enjoyment of all. Admission is free! The parking lot spaces are limited, so take that into planning your visit for a mid-week day, perhaps. Dear Hubby and I have visited a number of times over the years. It had been a while since our last time, so on an afternoon when we didn't have time to go farther afield, we stopped by to stroll the gardens and relax for an hour. They have thoughtfully provided many benches upon which to sit and take a closer look at the plantings, or just be with your thoughts in a natural environment. The garden designer created a series of internationally themed "rooms", including the Japanese section with koi pond and stately wooden pagoda, plus an Italian-style water garden. A tribute to the chain of California missions is definitely worth checking out. The English rose garden is in bloom much of the year. A central grand bandstand with surrounding lawns is the site for concerts. Since Covid I haven't kept track of whether they've resumed summer musical events there, but it should be easy enough to check that out. We used to bring our grandson here when he was small. Now there's a young granddaughter in our lives that we can introduce to this garden space. It's just about the right size for her energy and imagination to enjoy.

This is an immaculately maintained garden. It's so peaceful and there are so many plants represented. They even have a koi pond and pagoda. I went during a weekday, so it wasn't busy and had no issues with parking. The parking lot is small though, so I can see how parking might be a parking during busier times. I found this place on Yelp, and I saw a lot of people commenting on how strict the rules are for this place regarding photography. There were even allegations of stalking by the docents! I thought it was an exaggeration. Since I was dressed down, I didn't feel like I was being watched, but I definitely saw other people being tailed by the staff there. There are also numerous signs about what you can't do and what the rules are (seriously look at my photos). I mean, I do kind of get it, but it's a little bit much. Hence, I'm only giving this four stars just because it was bizarre.

Unless you want to be stalked, followed and harassed, I suggest you find another garden to go to. I'm sure there's better gardens around anyway. Also, avoid Linda at all costs. She's extremely rude, condescending, and made our visit very uncomfortable.

I came here with my bridal party and had one of the most disappointing experiences. We had only walked about 20 steps into the garden when a staff member immediately began yelling at us, demanding that we leave simply because we were taking a quick photo. She was extremely rude, talking over us, and not giving us a chance to even respond. Shortly after, another employee named Linda came over, raised her voice as well, and kicked us out on the spot because our group was supposedly "too big." What made this especially frustrating was that we saw much larger groups walking around without issue, and even witnessed a staff member taking photos for other guests. The double standard and hostility were unbelievable. Instead of being treated with basic courtesy, we were singled out, spoken to disrespectfully, and made to feel unwelcome. If you are considering visiting, I would strongly caution you. The staff here clearly lack professionalism and respect for their guests, and it ruined what should have been a joyful outing with my bridal party. If I could leave 0 stars I would.

Not worth the stop. If you're expecting a peaceful garden experience, skip this place. I was immediately made to feel unwelcome by staff who seemed more focused on enforcing arbitrary "rules" than letting people enjoy the space. I was literally just walking on a path and got accused of doing something wrong -- all while being followed around like I was in trouble for existing. This isn't some world-class botanical garden with rare plants or exhibits. I've been to places like the Huntington and Descanso Gardens where staff are respectful, and the gardens are worth the visit. This place is tiny, and the atmosphere is tense from the moment you arrive. You're better off going somewhere that actually values visitors and knows how to treat them. Total waste of time. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Don't bother.

We live in the area and have been several times. The gardens are beautiful but the rules are incredibly strict; we spend the whole time watching our kids and making sure they're behaving well, observing the signs, etc. even so, the docents will follow you around and the second your child makes a noise or does anything other than walk you'll get yelled at. I even got yelled at for bringing "outside liquid" in (it was a water bottle for my 1yo). Beautiful if you want to sit and listen to a podcast, but for families this is not a place that will welcome you.

What a gem! First and foremost, thank you to the Hogan family for creating such a beautiful and peaceful place and generously offering access to the public for free. The grounds are beautiful and make you feel very much away from the city even though it's literally right there. The grounds are beautifully kept. Baby koi aplenty. Lovely history and information provided in the pamphlet. I stopped here on a whim bc I have long kept it bookmarked on places to go and today I decided to visit. I walked into the main house and spoke with Linda who was super friendly and kind. She offered a great explanation of the property as well as the rotating art exhibits in the main house. She asked that I stay on the path which I think is unfortunate that it needs to be asked bc normal ppl would see a path and follow it instead of running wild on the grass or allowing their kids to do so. I'm sure this has been the case and that's why it is emphasized. Easy rule to follow. Prior to entering the grounds there is a sign outlining various rules which unless you have been raised with zero social skills, are the most basic to follow. The only one that isn't common is that the grounds can't be used for commercial photography without a permit. Ummmm, HELLO????? It's a private property. The Hogan family has a say in what their property is used for. How would you like it if random people walked into your bedroom and started taking photos without permission? So unless you're really void of common sense (see all 1 star ratings) then the "rules" won't bother you and someone asking you to stay on the path won't rub you the wrong way either. In fact, I have to say that every staff member I ran into today was so gracious and kind and said hello and made sure I was enjoying my visit. I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful place.

The Hogan Family Foundation gave a special present to Thousand Oaks, and everyone doing these gardening for visiting for free! The place is so peaceful, gorgeous, adding educational tour and space for artists. Really a hidden gem. Everyone should visit it. They show how is a little bit garden in Japan, England, France, Italy and has the history of Missions in California. Go there!

I came to Gardens of the World expecting a peaceful, scenic escape -- instead, I left irritated and honestly shocked by how poorly the place is managed. The grounds themselves are decent, though not particularly special. It's a small space that tries very hard to look grand, but comes off more like a strict HOA's backyard project. Way too many signs telling you what not to do. It's hard to relax when you're constantly being watched and reprimanded for the smallest things. But the real issue is the staff, specifically the manager -- Linda. I don't know what kind of power trip she's on, but her attitude was unbelievably rude and condescending. Instead of politely enforcing the garden's many (and frankly excessive) rules, she barked orders at visitors like she was running a boot camp. God forbid you walk on the wrong side of a path or take a quiet photo -- she'll swoop in with her passive-aggressive tone and treat you like a criminal. She must really love rules. It's the only relationship she seems committed to. Avoid Linda at all costs. We came in pretty dresses and got discriminated for being too dressed up just to enjoy the gardens. It's one thing to maintain order -- it's another to treat guests like intruders. Bottom line: this place is more concerned with control than hospitality. The gardens aren't worth the hassle, and definitely not worth dealing with a manager who seems more interested in policing than welcoming. Would not recommend.

Great picture location but keep in mind this is a privately owned garden open to the public. That said, they have rules. Permits are required for any type of commercial OR personal formal photo shoots. For example, if you want to take prom pictures with your personal camera, you'll need a permit. Parking is very limited on site

Beautiful place however staff can be unpleasant. We were taking photos of the scenery & strolling around while a staff member followed us around stating we CANNOT take photos with people on it as we didn't have a permit to do so, she continued accusing us of taking photos of one another , we ended up leaving as it was completely unnecessary.

I had this place saved in my bookmarks for a while now and finally this afternoon I took my mom on a beautiful walk at the gardens. It far from my house but it was definitely worth the drive to spend a few hours relaxing, meditating and enjoying the beautiful gardens. This place is clean, very well taken care of and free to enter. It's small but beautiful. You can walk around the whole property in 15 mins. But we took our time stopping g in each area and sitting down and enjoying the views and the weather. Very peaceful .... The French garden was beautiful and the rose garden I can imagine how pretty it will look once the roses bloom. It's too early in the season to see blooms so I'm thinking to go back in May to enjoy the roses. The Japanese garden area is nice too with an authentic Japanese Pagoda and a koi pond. There are many water features around the property. The Mission courtyard was beautiful with a map of the mission trails in California. Colorful hand painted murals of the mission are on the walls and a fountain in the middle of the courtyards. A few benches here and there makes this a cozy area to sit and enjoy. The Italian garden has cypress trees and a chain fountain inspired by Italian architecture. Overall this is a great place to spend an afternoon at to clear your mind.

What a lovely hidden little gem I was unaware of. Durning pandemic I actively searched for places to visit . Self guided tour with a brochure. The offer tours go to website or call. Grounds are wonderfully maintained. There were a few gardeners there. He was ever so kind to answer a few names of plants I seen. 4.5 acre Garden is open to the public and is a striking monument to commemorate the various cultures of the world. The Gardens include Italian, French, Japanese and English gardens as well as the Mission Courtyard. There are rules please be advised! Strict rules on photography. posed photography; whether amateur or professional, and using a camera, cell phone, IPad, or any other equipment. This includes family photos, engagement, wedding, birthdays, maternity, etc. Reservations require at least two weeks in advance booking with dates and times subject to availability. No pets ! My favorite of all is The Japanese Garden The delicate balance and harmony of Asian culture has been beautifully captured in this peaceful setting surrounding an authentic Japanese Pagoda. Set in the midst of a Koi pond, encircled by bamboo and bridges, the Japanese Pagoda is a wonderful place to pause and savor a tranquil moment. I sat there for 30 minutes enjoying the serene setting. It's budget friendly (free admission) Open to the public Tuesday through Sunday Closed Mondays, most national holidays and during inclement weather I did research.

The Volunteers take their jobs seriously to make sure that this place is well preserved and for good reason. It's beautiful! And it's free, accesible to anyone. The gardens were picturesque and pay homage to different parts of the world. There's also an entire area dedicated to the missions in CA! Would recommend paying a visit!

Beautiful gardens. Well maintained. It is gracious of them to offer viewing for free. I understand why they would like it respected.

Worst place in the world. So sarcastic that it's called "gardens of world" while the place doesn't allow any kid to be a kid. Especially when a staff came out to yell at our kids. Can you even believe the staff yelled at a kid who is only 4 years old:" No, I said no. You guys should go to a public park. I am waiting for you to leave." If this is a private garden then keep its door closed to yourself. Or admit that you are trying brag to the rest of us that you have so much money, so you can have a garden that the rest of us cannot touch your grass or the rock inside. You just set the worse example to the kids and made this world less inclusive.

This is a nice oasis in the city. Some folks are bothered by signs with the Garden's rules, but the rules simply ask that visitors respect the property so others may enjoy the grounds. The walking loop through the various gardens is well maintained, with a small elevation to descend and ascend. It is wheelchair-friendly, but some of the climb might be tough for someone with certain walking or breathing issues. That said, there are plenty of benches to take a break and enjoy the gardens. The brochure provided gives an explanation of the different gardens. There are numerous signs identifying plants throughout the property. Any questions can be answered by the many docents present along the walkway. The Gardens of the World is a worthwhile stop. Plan on spending 1-2 hours.

No activities there for the community to enjoy. They used to have holiday events when it first opened .. now nothing. The docents are overly strict as well.

Immaculate. There's definitely a level of peace on each of the variety of gardens and their respective sitting areas. This is a great place for meditation or just a casual stroll. They also have a nice picnic area.

Beautifully quiet location for a peaceful walk or pause in a busy day. We are visiting end of March...a few plants are flowering...give it 2- 3 weeks and the roses should be in bloom! Wisteria had just started blooming in one location, but not the others. Is wheelchair accessible from the street and upper end of gardens.

For a garden free to the public, the strict regulations for visitors make it uncomfortable to spend time there, and you feel as though you are being watched. I have experienced stuffy and uppity attitudes from docents. They deter groups, fearing visitors will block the walkways or run amok.

Free and exquisite gardens. How could everyone not give this place 5 stars? Spectacular Japanese and rose gardens

This is a very pretty little maintained set of gardens, but small and the number of rules and signs are ridiculous. I often frequent Descanso Gardens, Huntington Gardens, the Getty Museum Gardens; none of them are this insane and uptight. My 6 year old kid ran down the wide empty path today and one of the guides called to her "No running!" I get asking people to not step on grass or feed koi fish, sure, but this place is NOT worth the level of regulation they are giving it...it ruins the visitor experience.

Terrible place!!! Do not go here unless you want old people yelling and accusing you of breaking a rule, while just simply walking on the paved path. One of the rudest encounters I've had in years at a public place. They act like it's the Huntington library or Descanso gardens (both of which I have memberships and know reasonable rules. Mind you those places have actual historical artifacts and rare plants unlike this "gardens of the world". Anyway this place is ridiculous. The old people who work there are extremely unpleasant and will follow you around the gardens making you feel very uncomfortable. It's also an extremely small place not worth a visit at all. Glad it only took me 5 minutes to walk around the loop because I wanted to leave fast. Safe yourself the trouble and go to a real Botanical garden where you can relax and enjoy without being followed!!!

Are you kidding me? It's a very pretty place and we could've had a great time except for the fact that a woman who works there is on a rampage to yell at everyone she sees. She literally runs across lawns, binoculars in hand as she's been spying on you if you do something that goes outside of her rulebook, she will berate you loudly- visibly shaking. The kids were literally scared of her. I do not recommend this place to anyone. Unless of course you feel you need to be punished in some I'm way.

Had a wonderful time at this beautiful garden. Everything was well maintained and beautiful. It was quiet, peaceful, and serene. Best part is that it was free! Can't wait to come back

Such a beautiful place to walk, enjoy the various gardens, fountains, gazebo, listen to the little man-made creeks and waterfalls. They have a little picnic area. They do not sell food. Absolutely loved it.

Staff was rude and this is not a child friendly place at all my toddler is well behaved and one of the workers practically followed us around the whole garden harassing us until we left. Not worth the gas money when there are so many other beautiful places around

This place is beautiful and free. Doesn't take too long to tour the gardens, but they're very cool.

Free! Beautiful! Stop by and smell the roses. Free parking lot. Near shops and restaurants.

It's smaller than a football field, no photography is allowed, and the staff is rude and follows people around to act as a photo cop vs being a docent. I was honestly really underwhelmed because compared to other botanic and Japanese gardens close by this one is much smaller and has a lot less effort put into the construction and design of it. I feel as if this should be in the middle of a really busy city block in Philadelphia or something like that if redesigned this thing could be done so much better there is so much wasted space in the middle. The track to walk is pretty much along the outside with only three different eco-zones. Imagine how many more it could be if it would crisscross through out and was inside and outside and designed by someone with a true passion for design or botany. I would not recommend unless you live close and I don't plan to be back. One visit was more than enough.

We LOVED our visit here with our 3 year old and baby. Walkways are wide enough for a stroller. Our toddler was able to run around and explore. There were great areas out in the open and quiet corners to just sit and look at the plants around the area. There is a designated spot for eating, which was nice because it helped limit trash being tossed throughout the gardens. Worth a visit if you're looking for a free, low stakes activity.

I came here when I used to live in Thousand Oaks. A colleague mentioned it to me. It is good place for family, group of friends or couples. Great for photo ops and picnicking. They have different kinds of garden. I like the Japanese garden with koi ponds and pagoda.

Entrance to the garden is off Thousand Oaks Blvd.. ample free parking, clean restrooms and hand sanitizer and if that's not enough, the Gardens are beautifully manicured and maintained. The docents are so friendly and generous in sharing information about the grounds. Roses are blooming now, I do wish they were all labeled, although I can tell you, the fragrance of the Sterling's and Mr. Lincoln's are unmistakable. The Pagoda is closed for now as the wood is being refinished. The citrus trees in the Mission look well cared for as does the mission fig vine to the right on the wall as you enter the Mission building. All ages can appreciate this beauty so if you've never been, this is the time to go! Benches are throughout and a shaded picnic area was beckoning. Next time, I think I'll bring a picnic!

It's a nice place. Peaceful in the middle of the city. The volunteers are very helpful if you need any information.

Haven't been here in years but came this morning. It wasn't too windy. It was packed with people already at 10:30 AM. Not really many flowers in bloom like in the summer. The gardens are still kept clean, and well manicured. Somehow I remember there being more to see before, so not sure if they removed some things. I got some nice pictures none the less. They really need more parking as I got the last spot. I needed to get out of the house, and see some nature, so I decided to come here. Its pretty, and relaxing, just wish there was more to see.

very pretty place. very clean and well maintained. my low review is for the rules of this place and while i get it's their establishment i just wanted to share my experience. i showed up after my court house wedding with my husband and his dad and no professional equipment. went to the coy pond and wanted to see the place and take a few pictures on our phone just for the memory. this lady quite literally chased us down there without saying anything i thought she was running to do something else and she told us this is categorized as an event and had to be booked and planned ahead of time. pictures are not allowed since i had "props" like my bouquet in my hand and my veil on. i didn't even have full wedding dress on. then some other lady came and right when i thought she was going to say something they just stood there and didn't move. i was like okay....thank you and we walked out. they quite literally kicked us out and escorted us out. just say you don't allow public photos but to go on and say we're a commercial photographer and that this violates their rules is just crazy. and then escorting us out is even crazier like girl why are you following us we're literally leaving. treated us like we were criminals we were just trying to take keepsake photos.

Gardens were nice to look at but service received from staff was very disappointing. We were approached by an employee named Linda once we arrived and because we were a group of 6+ she insisted we needed a reservation to enter but we did not request a guided tour. We drove over an hour to get there. I did not check the website ahead of time but her demeanor was very aggressive and lingered as if she was waiting for us to leave. I was confused as she made it seem we needed a reservation to enter the grounds while other parties were walking in. We decided to separate into smaller parties but as soon as we did she tracked us down and insisted we have to come back another day since she knew we were part of the same group. Her reasoning did not make sense as we were smaller parties and saw other groups do the same. She basically told us to leave since it was private property. We decided to leave but she stared us down as we got into our cars. The most uncomfortable and rude experience I've ever encountered. I honestly felt racially profiled as we were the only non-white party there.

A free and very peaceful place to take a stroll. There are a few benches to sit down and rest, some in the shade. Handicap assessable ramps all over. Lots of different plants, flowers and trees. There is a cool water feature that is so relaxing to sit by. Check the park out next time you are in Thousand Oaks!

It's a little gem in Thousand Oaks. A beautiful garden with history, and it's free. I loved reading the dedications on the benches too.

staff was very rude. They came running after us and just were very extremely rude. We had our group in the day program with us and I'm not sure if that is why they acted like how dare you bring in those types of people into our high and mighty place of business that's privately owned... We ended up packing everyone up and leaving because of how these lady's made us feel and it's just not ok at all to treat people the way we were all treated. Adults with autism are not meant to be kept hidden away in a closet away from the world. They are human beings just like you and I. I would never in my life recommend this place nor will I ever go back to this place.

This is one of my favorite little spots of paradise in the Conejo Valley. It's such a peaceful area to relax and walk around for a little bit. I think it would also be great to take a book and read or even paint for an afternoon. The guides there are also very friendly and knowledgeable!