Luther Burbank’s long career as a horticulturist began on a 17-acre farm in Massachusetts that he bought when he was 21 years old. One of his first successes was a large russet potato, resistant to some common diseases, that is still the most popular potato in the US today. The money that Burbank received from selling his rights to the potato financed his trip to California where he purchased land in Santa Rosa and lived for 42 years surrounded by his experimental gardens. He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants including the ever popular Shasta daisy.
One acre of the original gardens along with Burbank’s house, green house, and a carriage house that is now a museum were deeded to the city by Burbank’s wife, Elizabeth, upon her death in 1977. The gardens are free to visit. Tours of the buildings and museum have an admission fee. An exhibit area in the gardens briefly covers Burbank’s life and accomplishments giving visitors a quick history lesson even without taking the tour.
We visited on a Monday, the only day that the museum is not opened and house tours are not conducted, so we did not get to check the accessibility. The house has a ramp and it appears that both the museum and the house are accessible. The gardens are accessible.
The gardens do not have a parking lot but cars and RVs may be parked on the street. Garden 38.43607, -122.71183
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