This dahlia is about to burst open at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Be sure to visit the dahlia and vegetable gardens.

That was the advice of the woman taking my $23 to enter the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. She was spot on with the suggestions, especially with the dahlias running their course in October.

Fort Bragg is a Bee City, a recognition for being a place that makes it safe for pollinators. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Being there in late September meant I was treated to a kaleidoscope of color. A marker said one plant had produced 461 flowers this season. This garden has more than 625 individual plants, consisting of 150 varieties.

“Dahlias are named for the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl and are members of the plant family Asteraceae. They were first discovered in Mexico and are endemic to Central and South America,” the botanical garden’s website says. “The Aztec Herbal Manuscript indicates that the dahlia plant was used in the treatment of urinary disorders and epilepsy. In 1789, the genus Dahlia was first introduced to Europe at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Madrid. Nine years later, this genus was introduced to the Kew Gardens. Dahlias come in a range of forms and colors and with proper care, can be an easy addition to temperate gardens.”

Dahlias come in a variety of shapes and colors. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Dahlias were among the first flowers Ernest Schoefer, the founder of this botanical garden, planted. The gardens opened to the public in 1966.

Also impressive was the fuchsia collection. The color alone was spectacular, with the shape of the flora almost seeming whimsical. Mother Nature really is amazing.

“The beautiful bicolored flowers of hybrid fuchsias, recognized by plant lovers the world over, are under attack here on the Pacific Coast by the fuchsia gall mite (Aculops fuchsia). This Brazilian mite came to the United States via contaminated plant material. Spread by hummingbirds, bees, gardeners and wind, the mite causes plants to become deformed, eventually resulting in their death. Because the pest is so difficult to treat, many West Coast gardeners no longer grow hybrid fuchsias,” a sign in the garden says. “One way to avoid damage is to plant mite resistant species and hybrids. Both are found here in the Woodland Garden, which showcases a diverse and amazing array of fuchsias. Here you will find 8-foot shrubs with long red blooms, tiny creepers with yellow recurved petals, and familiar hybrids with their easily recognized purple and red blossoms.”

Fuchsia magellanica is commonly known as the hummingbird fuchsia, hardy fuchsia or chilco. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

That’s the thing about this garden, it’s really multiple gardens within a larger space. I would imagine it doesn’t matter what time of year one goes, there will be something in bloom.

The rhododendrons must be spectacular in spring and early summer; there were so many of them dormant in early fall.

As with most well-kept gardens, there is always something to ogle over. The greenery itself is lovely.

Splashes of yellow from dahlia pinnatas sparkle in the garden. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

This 47-acre garden has four miles of trials, with it being about a half mile from the entrance to the ocean. The fact it sits on the Pacific Ocean makes it even more spectacular. A large swath of the area—including the coastal trail—is wheelchair friendly.

With benches scattered about, it’s easy to put your feet up and just stare at the beauty. Sculptures add to the natural beauty.

A surprising find was massive cacti. The sign says, “While other native succulents are found in the most parts of the world, most of us think of cacti as desert plants. In fact, native cacti grow from Alaska to Chile. Some have evolved to survive freezing winters in Canada and the state of Wisconsin. The right soil and good drainage make it possible to grow cacti here at the botanical garden.”

It would be easy to spend hours here. With a little restaurant on site, one could stay fueled to keep going for the better part of a day. For those with less time, it’s easy to hit what’s in season and call it good.

Plenty of greenery to be seen at the gardens no matter the time of year. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

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Deets:

• Address: 18220 North Highway 1, Fort Bragg
• Phone: 707.964.4352
• Website