A rare treat in the OC. I was pleased to find this Mid Century Modern home offered tours!…read more Scheduling a tour was a breeze. We waited at a location until the docent escorted us up to the premises. We were a small party as there isn't much parking allotted. The knowledgeable docent led up through the garden first. We saw a variety of plants and succulents. I was amazed at all the little trails as we made our way about. The view from this hill was incredible! The home itself is unlike anything else! There was ginormous scale macramé that occupied one room! There was also a large, golden bird cage that once housed an occupant. Highly recommend if you like architecture!

Hortense was born to be a horticulturist: her name is just perfect for this out-of-the-way garden,…read morehigh up on the hills above Laguna Beach. She was a single lady, not looking for love, but somehow a wealthy attorney spotted this lovely lady under the light of the Mississippi moon and he fell for her. They met on a river cruise - on a giant paddle-wheel boat, and there was something special in the air that night that these two souls came together. It was love at first sight for this legal eagle; he was keen to make Miss Hortense his river boat queen. A 4 year courtship ensued, and she finally fell under his spell. They married; he being 30 years her senior - Oscar Miller may have been more of a father figure to Hortense than a husband, but their compatibility was secured. Neither wanted to bother with having children, and so they came out West, and bought the lot where her garden grows today. It was supposedly the last open lot that sold on the picturesque All View Terrace Drive back in 1957. They built a mid-century modern home that has superb views of Boat Canyon Beach. The ocean view from their spartan home is quite dramatic and one-of-a-kind. Sadly, old Oscar Miller passed away barely 2 months after the home was completed in 1959, so dear Hortense was left all alone to do as she pleased. Some say that she had a job down the hill in town; she being a feminist and liking to have a large circle of friends. Legend has it that Hortense had many an artist's party up in her humble abode. She was an artist at heart, painting in oils which you can see on the walls of her home. She devoted the rest of her life to planting the 2 acre hillside home, with mostly slope for a backyard. She spent years building trails, erecting bamboo fences to keep the deer out of her flowers and she planted many plants. Some were exotic plants from far-away places in the world; but mostly there were common plants from the area. She would experiment a lot with her gardening; the plants that lived were the ones that still grow there today. Hortense had a white feathered companion, a Cockatoo named Dodi. She would work in her gardens all day, planting and weeding and then at night, she was happy to return home to cook supper, then paint, read or sketch in her 1600 sq ft (divided) home up in the hill. The Hortense Garden Home is at the tip top of the All View Terrace and her neighbors would just LOVE to trade places! But they can't! Hortense picked the prime spot! Hortense loved Mermaids, - mermaids are maidens for life and they rarely have baby mermaids. Mermaids are magical creatures and perhaps Hortense fancied herself as one. She lived a spartan life, and didn't have alot of fancy extras, but that's the discipline that she grew up with, and so she felt there was no need to be excessive or gawdy. The grounds need some work - it's February 4th 2016 and our garden guide lady in green, Miss Gladys was a nice story teller. She opened up the house for our small group to enjoy, and she was most eager to answer any questions. The Hortense Miller Garden is one of those tucked-away little places that may not be around in the next 50 years - ? - Ms. Hortense willed her estate to the city of Laguna Beach. I hope that this city is a loyal steward to her wishes. But who can really say what will happen in the future? Go take some time to make an appointment to see the Horticultural Hortense Gardens. It's a quiet wide spot in the high road up on a windy road. It's gated off so you can't sneak up there on your bike and run inside. The City of LB has taken measures to assure that her little place remains pristine for years to come. I worry about slope failure however. El Nino is coming into town this winter, and I hear that he's a rascal of a storm maker! I see some erosion occurring on the lower edges of Hortense's garden - Mother Nature has her ways of washing beautiful parcels of earth away. She gets moody at times, but so far - she has smiled up the garden of Hortense Miller. Bring along a $10.00 or $20.00 bill and be a generous donor to the beauty of this special Garden of Eden. It helps to pay for the upkeep, don't cha know? Peace / Love / Happy Gardening!