Jensen Botanical Garden — Attraction in Rancho Cordova

Update 3/25: Park is open again during regular hours. Most of the fallen trees have been removed. There was one big one still down.

The tulips were in full bloom as of the end of march. It was a great view for a maternity photoshoot.

Flowers all around are starting to bloom.

Update 1/29: The main gate was closed before sunset but I saw several people walking around.

To get in, I parked a street over on Nicklaus Pl and walked about a block. The walk there doesn't really have a sidewalk and it's right next to traffic - be careful!

The park had about 3 or more fallen trees as of yesterday. The garden area is currently closed off while they work on removing one of them.

The main pathway is "open" but it looks like it had caution tape that someone ripped. Confusing, but there were no signs saying to stay out.

I was there for a photoshoot and we got the shots we needed. Wish the garden area was open, but we managed.

Look forward to the gates re-opening and accessing the beautiful park safely.

Such a magical place at sunset!!

The whole park is truly a gem. Can't wait to come back.

Previous review:

Beautiful place for photoshoots or small weddings.

Attended a wedding here years ago and recently I went to scout for a photoshoot which was postponed due to rain.

Both times, the place was gorgeous.

Wish it wasn't pouring on photoshoot day or I would have more...

Maybe I would have enjoyed this more had it not been called a botanical garden--misleading. It's a little park with a little pathway to a little community garden where you are not encouraged to wander (you have to find someone to give you a tour).

The first part of the park has a few plantings. The path is cement, and maybe 1/8 mile long, going through pretty enough olive trees but with houses on the side and no other plantings.

Also. Not only do they want you to pay $15 for the pleasure of taking photos of this rather underwhelming locale, even for PERSONAL use, but they expect you to go to a separate location in order to purchase the permit to do so. Um, no thank you.

It was a fine way to spend an hour with toddlers, running around on the path and looking at a few plants, but I wouldn't go back. Not least because there were super sketchy people coming through by themselves, meeting others for a minute, then immediately leaving...gosh what could...

It is a lovely little walk and a great break from the fast paced world we live in today.

I'm sure going at a different season might look different but when I went it just looked really plain. Didn't seem like there was a lot of effort put into the name. I've been to more than six botanical gardens in my life in different locations and they have lots of variety and beautiful plants. This one just seemed really simple like naming it a botanical garden is a real stretch.

If you're just going because you want to chill in the shade in nature it's great for that. It does ironically end at the community garden which definitely put it to shame.

So my personal reasons for giving it three stars would be because it was overall a nice experience to walk in nature but also wasn't the botanical gardens I was expecting when it came to the plant life highlighted.

It did make me laugh though they had Rosemary. One of the most commonly used plants in...