preserve - educate - explore

 

Based in Ojai, California, the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. This 264-acre property, nestled in the Ojai foothills near Lake Casitas, stewards cultivated gardens featuring a variety of plants that thrive in California’s Mediterranean climate and over 200 acres of Nature Preserve and vital open space.

 
 

HISTORY

The story of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.

Meet Our Founder, John Taft →

EVENTS

Guided Tours, Art Events, Retreats, and Educational Programs.

Get Tickets →

VENUE RENTALS

Our property provides a breathtaking and versatile setting, perfect for a wide range of private gatherings and specialized productions.

Learn More and Make and Inquiry →

MISSION

Preserve, Educate, and Explore.

Learn More →

Garden Visits

Self-Guided Tours: Tuesday - Saturday, September - July.

Make a Reservation →

ART IN NATURE RESIDENCY

We host a unique program for Central Coast artists to explore the human-environment relationship through experimental and environmentally-focused projects.

Program Details and Application →

 

FIND US ON INSTAGRAM

Artist-in-Residence Spotlight! It has been fortunate to have witnessed the artistic journey of Eliot Spaulding @eliot_spaulding, who joined us as a One-Month Artist-in-Residence last season and then as our Nine-Month Artist-in-Residence this round.
Taft Gardens has many unexpected gifts! This week's surprise was a delicate little goldfinch nest, made of what appears to be agave fibers and the softest of feathers, discovered on the ground near the kiosks. Have you ever found a nest in a magical
Stargazing with Russell Crotty and Laura Gruenther Thursday, June 26, 2025 8:00 PM -10:00 PM Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve invites you to explore the night sky with visiting artist and astronomy enthusiast Russell Crotty, accompanied by his wife
I am feeling an overwhelming love for the magnificent Melaleuca huegelii, also known as chenille honey-myrtle. This beauty from Western Australia, with its scale-like leaves, demands my attention each year when it starts to bloom its delicate flower
Nature Preserve Walk with Lanny Kaufer! Saturday, June 28, 2025 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Join us for a unique nature education experience as we explore the trails of the Nature Preserve, only accessible through guided tours! With Lanny Kaufer leading the w
Look what we spotted at this year's Ojai Music Festival @ojaimusicfestival! ✨ Former Taft Gardens Artist-in-Residence Rosemary Hall's @rosemaryhhall captivating chrysalis forms, crafted from metal and mesh, are displayed and lit among the trees out
The Ojai Studio Artists @theojaistudioartists will showcase their interpretations of the Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve in an Exhibition at the Studio Channel Islands Art Center @sciartcenter in Camarillo. The show will open with a public recepti
Leucospermum cordifolium 'Yellow Bird' is a popular pincushion protea known for its bright yellow, domed flower heads and attractive grey-green foliage. It is a relatively low-maintenance shrub that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. These
🌵 Saturday, June 14, 2025 10:00 AM 12:00 PM Join Cassandra C. Jones, Artist and Arts Chair at Taft Gardens, along with our current 9-month Artist-in-Residence, Eliot Spaulding @eliot_spaulding, for a unique look at the property from the perspective
What are these big, fluffy puff balls all over the grass? Two free tickets for a Self-Guided tour will be awarded to the first person who comments with the correct answer. Hint: We found them at Taft Gardens on the lawn in front of the Pavilion H
Artist-in-Residence Spotlight! Congratulations to our 2024/25 9-month Research Artist in Residence, Stephanie Hubbard @stephaniehubbard.studio, on this recent article about her residency and exhibition at Taft Gardens. If you've visited recently, yo
Oh, what a beautiful sight to wake up to! This Golden torch cactus, or Soehrensia spachiana, blooms at night under the moonlight for only about 10 hours, attracting nocturnal pollinators such as moths and bats. It was overcast this morning, so th

Contact US

(805) 649-2333

Visits & General Inquiries:

TaftGardensVisitors@gmail.com

Events & Site Rentals:

TaftGardensEvents@gmail.com

The Conservation Endowment Fund is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization - EIN # 94-2702221