Well I'm not sure exactly which gardens you're visiting, but Balboa Park is certainly beautiful! If you like roses, and can make it out to Coronado Island, I recommend that heartily! Some of the most beautiful rose bushes can be found there. And believe it or not, the San Diego Zoo has an amazing plant collection! Hope you have a great time here!

Thanks for the tip Nika! I'm planning to spend an entire day there and really want to try to see all the gardens, especially the old cactus garden; the pictures I googled look lovely. Sooo excited

My favorites are the Botanical Building and the Alcazar Gardens. Plus the zoo is full of plants. If you have a car the San Diego Botanical Garden in Encinitas (about 20 miles north) is also wonderful.

Here is a link that might be useful: San Diego Botanical Garden

The Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden at Balboa park is lovely, and has many varieties. I also 2nd socalgal's suggestion of the Botanical building. Enjoy!

What everyone said - the rose garden is a bit past prime, as we had a wicked heat wave a few weeks ago, but you may see some things back in bloom. If you ever visit a bit earlier, besides the Balboa Park rose garden, you definitely will want to drive up to the Carlsbad Flower Fields to see all the lovely Ranunculus in bloom, plus they also have a spectacular rose garden, as well as all the Ecke poinsettias in a tent. Worth the visit if you can time it right. And, the San Diego Botanical Garden in Encinitas is not to be missed. Very lovely and magical there.

Patty S.