Grounds and Gardens
Rancho Santa Clara del Norte’s grounds and gardens consist of more than 6,000 trees and plants representing over 600 species and cultivars, spanning over six acres. The grounds are divided into some 10 different gardens, ranging from the dry cactus garden to the stately Great Lawn, to the intimate Stumpery Garden.
The gardens began as a humble swept yard, a common feature of Spanish and Mexican Ranchos in the early 1800s. Soil was dampened, allowed to dry and then swept to minimize dust in the summer and mud in the winter. Native shrubs and vines adorned the buildings and small trees provided much needed shade.
As ranch operations became more prosperous, an elegant garden was laid out in the Italian style, to accompany the elegant proportions of the newly refurbished main house. Its typically Italian features included a central axis, horizontally bisected by the Springville canal, and punctuated by a circle of Phoenix canariensis palms.
Among the 6000 trees and plants is a collection of over 100 mature and important trees, 85 palms from 30 different species, 20 species of cycads, a collection of unusual cacti, 70 specimen camellias and a collection of rare miniature conifers.
Other more recently added gardens include a Palmetum which contains over 60 palms, 40 cycads and unusual agave. There’s a cactus garden with rare plants including a Brazilian blue cactus and a magical Stumpery garden which is a shady space bounded by 165 stumps, logs and branches inset with ferns, begonia and miniature conifers.
