California Scenario by Noguchi

California Scenario also known as the Noguchi Garden in Costa Mesa, California has been a long time hidden gem. The garden by Japanese-American artist Siam Noguchi, was commissioned by the founder of South Coast Plaza (Orange County's elite mall) and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Henry Segerstrom.

Noguchi’s secret garden captures the diverse and dramatic landscapes of California. The Noguchi Museum notes that the artist first conceived the project as an “abstract metaphor for the state of California, from the Sierras, to the desert, to the woods. In addition to including redwoods and cacti, among other native plants, it encompasses a number of individual elements designed by the artist to evoke some of California’s salient characteristics.” The sculpture “Spirit of the Lima Bean,” twelve-feet-high carved granite boulders, is an ode to the Segerstrom family who once owned a lima bean farm on that very same land.

If you're in SoCal, the drive to Costa Mesa is well worth it! The garden is open to the public but highly recommend visiting the site on the weekend.


Noguchi Garden
611 Anton Dr.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626