The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, in Mission Canyon above the city, has been a leader in California-native plant conservation since 1926. The 78-acre site is laid out as a series of habitat zones — woodland, redwood grove, chaparral, meadow, dune — joined by walking paths and an old stone dam built originally to water the mission.
The garden was severely damaged by the 2009 Jesusita fire and has been replanted as a living demonstration of fire-adapted ecology. Wildflower bloom is spectacular in March and April. Allow at least 90 minutes; the loop trail involves some climbing.