Wildflower Festival Kicks off April 16 at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden will celebrate wildflower season with their annual Wildflower Festival, which kicks off on Saturday, April 16 and runs through Monday, April 18.

The event, a longstanding tradition at the garden is the longest-running seasonal event, dating back to the early 1930s. This event coincides with California's 'Native Plant Week,' which lands on the third week of April each year.

Over the years, the garden's Wildflower Festival has grown bigger and better with more offerings and activities for the whole family. Visitors will have the opportunity to view flowers of species that are rare, and would only be found in secluded areas. All flowers for this great event are gently prepared, carefully identified and exhibited indoors for visitors.

Leading up the the Wildflower Show, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden team members, volunteers and research associates will head begin their spring collection, traveling across the state to areas where studies are underway to document the flora.

The gathering of these species will ensure that visitors to the garden have the most unique and exclusive experience. It is the mission of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden to educate and share the beauty of the California wildflowers with all visitors. The geographically-diverse approach ensures the the most diverse variety of species are gathered, and it really creates a beautiful and educational display.

After the Wildflower Festival, many of the specimens are made available for research and education for not only Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden staff, students and visitors, but for local botany classes as well.

Free with garden admission or membership, the Wildflower Show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday April 16 and 17, with a special member preview at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Don’t miss this wonderful Spring event!