The Carpinteria Valley is the largest producer of cut flowers in the country, and it's filled seemingly end to end with nurseries. Although many are strictly wholesale, two open to the public make the drive to Carpinteria worthwhile. The first is Seaside Gardens, which specializes in drought-tolerant plants from California and around the world. The grounds include a spectacular three-acre botanical garden where Asian, Australian, South African and Mediterranean plants are featured. The other is Island View Nursery, which specializes in "a little bit of everything," according to a gardener we encountered.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 29, 2018 12:56 UTC