This is a popular gardening park in Santa Monica CA. It's so popular that there is a 5yr waiting list to get a plot there. The arrangements and choices and types of plants in each plot makes this park so beautiful .... Flowers, succulents, bush foliage, fruit trees, vegetables and more. Some plots are set up with bistro tables surrounded by beautiful flowers growing around. Others are filled with organically grown vegetables and some plots mixed with both. I loved visiting this garden park. read more

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I took a class with the GrowLA Gardens program that's offered through UCANR. The instructors are Master Gardeners, and there are quite a few of them who have plots here. They're extremely well versed in organic gardening here, and I highly recommend taking the course here if possible! A special shout out to Les, Susan, and all the Master Gardeners for sharing their knowledge with a semi-noob! It's a very interesting place, located close to the Santa Monica Airport and the Bundy Campus of Santa Monica College. I drove around this neighborhod for years (work, school, etc.) and never knew it existed! I enjoyed the class and how Ocean View Farms functioned as an open air, living classroom for the topics at hand. The plots are very diverse in character, reflecting their owners' view of organic gardening techniques. I understand it takes a while to get a plot and I already have a garden, but I'd definitely recommend getting on their waitlist if exploring community gardening interests you! read more

A little over a year ago my wife and I were lucky enough to finally earn (through patience) a piece of dirt about 10 feet wide by 30 feet deep at Ocean View Farms. How could we have ever known what a life changing event this would be. Amidst all of our failures (there have been more than a few) we have learned the most rewarding lessons about maintaining a positive attitude and viewing mistakes as opportunities to do better. In the last year plus we have grown: Shiso, carrots, potatoes, Japanese cucumbers, Japanese eggplant, Fushimi peppers, edamame, various herbs (dill, cilantro, thyme, mint, Italian parsley, chives), lavender, blueberries, California Golden Poppies, basil, garlic (major failure), leeks, zucchini, escarole, radicchio, daikon radish, onions (an abysmal failure), my coffee bush (finally showing major signs of growth) and last but not least, tomatoes. Tomatoes! They can drive you crazy. Not as easy to grow as we thought. Actually not easy at all. The first year our six plants were a total loss. This year after learning some lessons, things look a little more promising. But who knows (fingers crossed). Of course we still go to farmers markets. But we look at what's there with different eyes. And a much greater appreciation for what these people do. Being a farmer is not easy. However it just might be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. If there is a community garden program in your area I would certainly encourage you to sign up. It may take a while to get a spot but it's worth it. And it's really true. The veggies you grow yourself taste better. read more

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It's official! I've fully assimilated into the Santa Monica culture now that W and I have our own organic garden plot. Located near the Santa Monica airport, there are over 500 garden plots and flower gardens that occupy six acres in the hills of Mar Vista West LA. I love this urban garden community space. We have a large 20x10 feet area to grow our own organic vegetables--currently growing eggplant, zucchini, kale, broccoli, romanesco broccoli, peas, carrots. On a normal day we water and often exchange garden advice with veteran members who pass by. It's a great garden community and everyone is so friendly. We pay a small fee for annual dues and put in 12 hour community work hours a year. There is a tool shed where you can check out garden tools and wheel barrows. Water and compost is also provided! W waited 3.5 years on the list. Not sure how long it takes to get a plot now. If you plan on living around the area for the next several years, it's worth signing up! Our goal is to make a salad entirely with fresh ingredients from our garden! read more

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My wife and I have been at Ocean View Farms for a little over a year. Moved from Sepulveda Garden Center after I retired from work in Reseda. Now only 2.5 miles from home to OVF. Sepulveda was almost 15 miles one way. However, lots of thefts in our plot. This week most of our 60-70 planted onions have been stolen. Texas Whites - special order. Now also five (5) Taro plants have also taken. In our 25 years at the Sepulveda Garden Center never had a theft from the garden. If this keeps up - it bye-bye for us. Very frustrating! Don & Snow Feinstein read more

This place is awesome possum! I always wanted to drive up that little road, the one that keeps going up the hill where Rose Ave. ends at Centinela in Mar Vista. So today I did. (The Yelp map is wrong, btw, until they add the street address. I sent it in. All the listing has now is the P.O. Box number.) So, at the top of that hill are a couple of baseball fields and the huge space that is Ocean View Farms. It's a community garden area, comprised of many many small private gardens. It was downright spiritual, it was. And I could not even get past the locked gates. I had to appreciate it all from afar. There is plenty of parking. Dogs are not allowed, nor is smoking anywhere on the grounds. Nor is trespassing. In order to enter the gardens you must be a member, or with a member. One side was fenced and padlocked, and the other was open.....but I respected the posted signs. As a lady was leaving the locked gardens, I commented how cool the place is. She said, "Come join us!" I might, if I lived closer. These gardens so remind me of the victory gardens that were around when I was a kid, leftover from WW2 era. People grew veggies and flowers, mixed together. Today I saw butterflies, and one yellow & black beauty followed me around as I took pictures. I was hoping it would land on my arm as they often do, but not today. I got pics by holding my camera over the chain link fence. If you're a gardener, you will love this place. Both my parents were into gardening, so I learned at a young age about the joys of having my hands in the earth. It's grounding, like holding onto a tree. These appear to be simple pleasures, but really....there is nothing more profound when you get right down to it...... read more

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It is truly spectacular at Ocean View Farms. Such a great hill-top location with views to the ocean. It is so awesome up there, that you really don't mind killing snails and pulling weeds, especially on a clear, sunny, blue-sky day. You can just feel the energy of everything growing around you. Lots of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. I love walking around and watching everything grow and learning what veggies actually look like while they are still in plant form. One of my favorite plots to watch is that of the "tomato guy." He cultivates his plot all year specifically to support the most amazing variety of heirloom tomatoes. I've even seen people growing pineapples in there! This past fall, someone grew a 100-pound pumpkin. It's just fascinating watching food grow from seedling to fruit. There is a multi-year wait to get a plot, so get your name on the list now! There are a number of ways to contribute work hours throughout the year, and in return you get a wonderful space, free compost, access to all kinds of gardening tools, and low-cost seedlings. Total deal. read more

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Came here to check out the community garden and see how we can get involved it was so beautiful I was excited. First person we saw exit the farm we were trying to get innformation asked somebody who had come out of the farm how we got in he was so disrespectful and kept pointing at the sign. The sign said memebership only. I asked him a specific question like well if it's a community garden how does the community access it he pointed disrespectfully instead of answering my question. This "community garden" is obviously Not meant to serve the community we were disrespected and turned away. Sad to know there's this big ol beautiful piece of land my boyfriend and I don't feel welcomed enough to access it. It left a really bad taste in our mouth and now Seeing the other bad reviews. I won't support a place that doesn't truly feel like it's for the community. The community garden of disrespectful creeps is more what it sounds like after trying to engage with it and reading others bad experiences. So so disappointed. This must be a garden only available to specific members of the community, because they obviously didn't want us to even become Members with that attitude. read more

"You're closer to God in a garden, than anyplace else on earth" One of my favorite places to while away the day, serenity, peace, beautiful ocean views and abundant flora and fauna, not to mention the most impressive compost of all of LA's community gardens ;) read more

Let's get the bad news over first. There is now a 5 year wait to get a plot. BUT! There are often immediate opportunities to partner with existing gardeners who need help / want to pass on their knowledge. So get on the waiting list and let them know you want to be an Associate. I've been gardening here for about 3 years. It is a lot of work at first. Most plots that go vacant are unloved for a bit and need some TLC. Read the community rules. It will save you much frustration and make you very popular with your neighbors - if you're into that sort of thing...if you're not it will save you from the ire of your phase rep which is a very big deal. #probation Your annual fee and some volunteer hours get you all the water, compost and manure you want and the first-come-first-served use of some tools. This is a great place to garden. The views are spectacular, the members are happy to help new gardeners with advice. You will be amazed at what you can grow on the generous-sized plots. Great exercise and you get organic, fresh, delicious veg, herbs and beautiful flowers as a reward. The garden is also open to the public for special events. Check the website for classes, school tour opportunities and special events, like Tomatobration. read more

A very nice community garden. Takes 2-3 years to get a plot though. But people give up easily once they realize how much work it takes to maintain their plants. So keep waiting! read more