Costa Mesa, located in Orange County, California, is known for its beautiful natural landscape and rich cultural heritage. With its warm and sunny climate, the city is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. 

From April 24 - 28, 2024, Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE will be touching down at South Coast Plaza, Southern California’s premium shopping and dining destination. Experience 18 fresh floral mannequins and spectacular installations celebrating remarkable art across various eras and disciplines. Some of Southern California’s top floral artists will take inspiration from theatre, photography, and sculpture, to name a few – delivering a feast of cultural storytelling that will connect the world through flowers like never before. 

Floral installations on display include a Culinary arts mannequin inspired by Sur la Table, another taking inspiration from Asian comic book art in celebration of the upcoming exhibition at Bowers Museum, and an inspired floral tribute to the Tony award-winning musical, Funny Girl which runs May 28 - June 9, 2024 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 

Be sure to visit the stunning storefront installations on display at Mikimoto and Max Mara.

Let’s take a look at native plants, local legends and floral attractions in the region.

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NATIVE PLANTS

Orange County was once primarily known for its citrus production, specifically oranges. In the late 19th century, a man named William Wolfskill brought the first orange trees to the area and established a citrus plantation. Soon after, other entrepreneurs followed suit, and the region became a hub of citrus production, with oranges being the most important crop.

The region's reputation as a producer of oranges was cemented in the early 20th century, with the establishment of the Sunkist cooperative, which marketed oranges grown in Orange County across the United States. The orange blossoms also became an iconic symbol of the region, with their fragrant scent filling the air during the springtime. Today, while Orange County has diversified its economy, the orange tree and its blossoms remain an important part of the area's identity and history.

One of the most iconic native flowers of Costa Mesa is the coastal sagebrush, which is a small shrub that is known for its fragrant aroma and its delicate purple blooms. This plant is found throughout the coastal regions of California, and it is a critical part of the local ecosystem, providing food and habitat for many species of wildlife, including bees and butterflies.

Aside from its beautiful flowers, Costa Mesa is also rich in cultural heritage, and there are many interesting stories associated with the city's history. For example, according to local legend, the city was once home to a powerful sorceress who used her powers to control the weather and the local flora. This sorceress was said to have lived in a beautiful cottage surrounded by lush gardens filled with exotic and native flowers, where she used her powers to control the winds and the tides, making the coastal waters of Costa Mesa a haven for sailors and fishermen.

COSTA MESA GARDENS AND ATTRACTIONS

Sherman Library and Gardens is a vibrant cultural center that provides the public an oasis of inspiration, education and appreciation of regional history, horticulture and the arts. The 2.2 acre property boasts a nationally renowned botanical garden and research library with collections related to the history of the Pacific Southwest. Visitors can stroll through the rose garden, a vegetable garden and a tropical conservatory, and participate in its year-round calendar of educational programs and seasonal exhibits for the community. Try out the garden's many crafting and writing workshops this Spring - learn positive journaling tips, paint watercolour pansies, or create hummingbird mosaics.

The 34th annual Southern California Spring Garden Show will take place at South Coast Plaza April 25-28, 2024. This year’s theme, “At Home in the Garden,” pairs top landscape architects with home décor stores to create inspiring gardenscapes and outdoor living spaces. Unique plant and garden vendors will also be there to help you get inspired for spring.

Commissioned by the Segerstrom family in 1979, the modernist artist Isamu Noguchi’s California Scenario is a free, 1.6 acre public sculpture garden hidden by Costa Mesa office buildings that celebrates California’s landscape and native plants. It comprises a forest Redwood walk and desert land, and explores the ideas of water and land use with dramatic granite sculptures. 

Another popular floral attraction in Costa Mesa is Fairview Park, in the city center. This park is famous for its extensive network of hiking trails, picnic areas, and lush green lawns, which are surrounded by vibrant flower gardens and some rare and endangered plant species. These gardens feature a variety of colourful blooms, including native California wildflowers such as golden poppies and California fuchsia.