History of the land and estate

A scenic view of a timber lined walking path at sunset, surrounded by coastal sage brush and tall bunchgrass with the Los Padres mountain range in the background.

As a brand-new, purpose-built sanctuary, Maricopa Gardens offers a pristine and entirely private environment.


Over 10,000 years ago

Sepia-toned photograph of Ojai's Los Padres mountains with dense vegetation, multiple layers of ridges fading into the distance, and visible cracks and tears in the photograph.

Long ago, the Chumash people lived and hunted in the Ojai Valley. They were the first to call this land home and took great care of the trees and animals until the Spanish and other new settlers arrived, founding the Mission San Buenventura in 1782.


1830s - 1950s

Aerial view of a rural area with fields, orchards, trees, a house, and a swimming pool of Maricopa Gardens back in 1950s.

Looking through public records, the estate was originally part of a larger land parcel that was split as one of the Spanish land grants starting in 1837.  It became one of 5 distinct farms along the newly constructed highway 33 and was a working 10 acre avocado farm.


Today

Sun-dappled boulder nestled among native plants and an oak tree along Maricopa Gardens wedding estate path.

Developed in collaboration with architecture landscape studio Terremoto, the estate’s ten acres intentionally replace the convention of manicured lawns with a site-specific collection of over 4,000 native plants including oak trees, architectural bunchgrasses, coastal sage shrubs and perennials. A hillside flower garden adds a colorful pop against the neighboring Ojai pixie orchard. This curated botanical environment creates a tactile, seasonal canvas where the ethereal blooms of Matilija poppies and aromatic sages frame the Ojai Valley’s iconic panoramic vistas.