Alta Vista Botanical Gardens in Vista, California, was established in 1999 by the Botanical Garden Foundation on city-owned land. Its modern form took shape in 2005, when a unanimously approved plan organized the grounds into distinct garden and gathering spaces. The site now features 17 themed areas, including California native and Mediterranean plantings, a children’s garden, a prehistoric cycad garden, ponds, and shaded jungle spaces. Wildlife habitat is central to its purpose, with pesticide-free gardening, thousands of milkweed plants for monarch butterflies, and recognized butterfly and wildlife habitat status. Public art throughout the gardens reflects community design alongside horticulture and habitat restoration.