Los Angeles experienced explosive growth and transformation in the early 1950s. The population surged by half a million after the war, leading to a boom in the entertainment industry and the completion of the “four-level” freeway interchange.
This was also the time that Walt Disney himself began planning his vision of Disneyland and searching for potential properties to develop. Did you know that he very nearly purchased La Cañada Flintridge’s Descanso Gardens as the location for his theme park?
The garden that escaped Disneyland
Today’s Descanso Gardens property was once a private estate owned by Elias Manchester Boddy, a newspaper publisher and businessman famous for exposing corruption in the LAPD.
He purchased the estate in 1937, building a modern mansion surrounded by a spectacular botanical landscape. When Boddy retired in 1952, he put the ranch up for sale, and it began attracting the interest of developers such as Walt Disney.
When residents of La Cañada Flintridge caught on, they were alarmed at the possibility of having such intrusive commercial development in their neighborhood. Neighbors and community members began lobbying the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to purchase the property and preserve it as a public garden.
The supervisors voted in the community’s favor, and Descanso Gardens became city property in 1953. However, it went through several more hurdles before reaching the final form that we know today. Attendance was low in the public garden’s early years, maintenance proved difficult, and there was even talk of turning the land into a dump.
Neighbors once again mobilized to form the volunteer-run Descanso Gardens Guild, and managed to find direction and funding to save the garden. Thanks to their advocacy and determination, Descanso Gardens was preserved for the public trust.
As for Walt Disney, he eventually purchased a semi-rural, 160-acre site in Anaheim in 1953. Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, becoming the very first Disney theme park and the only one built under Walt Disney’s direct supervision.
Visiting Descanso Gardens
These days, Descanso Gardens is one of L.A.’s most scenic attractions, welcoming nearly 1 million people each year. The 150-acre botanical garden and museum is famous for its sprawling displays of camellias, California native plants, rose garden, Japanese garden, and tulips.
It also hosts a full calendar of events, art exhibitions, nature walks, family activities, and workshops.
📍 Location: 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
🗓️ Hours: Open daily from 9am-7pm
🎟️ Tickets: General admission is $15 for adults. The garden is free with advance tickets on the third Tuesday of the month.
🌐 Website: Descanso Gardens