Return to Search Results


Hartley Botanica

Tell a Friend
Add to MyGuide

Somis Wedding Venue
4465 Balcom Canyon Road
Somis, CA 93066
View Map

Contact: Barbara Goodrich
Phone: 805/444-2146
www.HartleyBotanica.com
  Request more information from Hartley Botanica
if you would mention that you found Hartley Botanica on the Here Comes The Guide website.






Hartley Botanica

Why We Like This Place

Just beyond the hills of Camarillo in the peaceful Las Posas Valley you’ll find the small hamlet of Somis, home to generations of family farmers. Somis has so far managed to escape the pressure of development, and boasts one post office, one store, and the oldest wooden gas station in California. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to slow down for a while, stop and smile at a stranger, and breathe in the fresh country air that seems to make all that grows here flourish.

At Hartley Botanica, not only do the plants and flowers thrive, they also end up in beautiful shapes and clever arrangements. That’s because this Somis nursery doubles as a landscaping company, and throughout the property you’ll discover artistic examples of garden design. Nowhere is this more impressive than in the wedding area, a spectacular garden oasis that owes its creation to a proud father’s love.

It all started when owner Barbara Goodrich took over the place in 1995. Her interest in landscaping came from her parents, creative types whose 30 years of experience include such notable clients as Janet Jackson and Michael Landon. When Barbara got engaged, Mom offered to make her a fabulous wedding gown. Not to be outdone, Dad took advantage of the nursery’s natural beauty to create a dream ceremony and reception site for his daughter’s wedding. Now Barbara wants to share her fantasy garden with you for your own wedding or special event.

Party guests are free to explore the nursery’s novelties, like its dinosaur topiary, peacocks, and sculptured rose garden. Yet the celebration grounds themselves are shielded from the public by custom-designed metal gates. The bride has her own changing room to prepare for the walk down the aisle—and you’ve never seen an aisle quite like this one!

A dramatic, sweeping promenade winds around an expanse of verdant lawn. Along the way you pass under no fewer than 18 vine-covered archways set in bases of flowering stone urns. The rose-colored walkway is embellished with real leaves pressed into the concrete, and caged songbirds add to the magical effect. To the left, a pond featuring an aquatic garden and a cascading waterfall accompany you until you reach the final stretch of the aisle. Then a delicate canopy of tree branches laden with honeysuckle leads to your groom, standing at the center of an enormous daisy permanently etched right into the aisle. (A smaller daisy just beyond can hold an accompanist.) Your guests enjoy the spectacle from the lawn, with the rolling hills as a picturesque backdrop.

A row of shrubs marks the rear of the Ceremony Garden, and on the other side lies the reception area, an even larger swath of lawn dotted with trees, decorative statuary, and pots overflowing with colorful flowers. A stand of Chinese pistachio trees shelters a long bar fashioned of smooth stones; its countertop, embedded with leaves, is the ideal spot to serve drinks and a buffet. Each botanical treatment features built-in seating areas, and some offer intriguing surprises: In the center of the lawn, for example, a lush forest environment of eucalyptus trees serves as a natural aviary for cockatiels and doves.

After a short time at the Gardens, your cares seem to float away on a gentle rose-scented breeze. Everything here is fresh, green and blossoming—an enchanting environment for a celebration of new beginnings.

Capacity

Ceremony

Reception/Special Events

Meetings

Max. Seated Indoors: 0
Max. Seated Outdoors: 375 		Max. Seated Indoors: 0
Max. Seated Outdoors: 375
Max. Standing Indoors: 0
Max. Standing Outdoors: 375 		Max. Seated: 375

CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Wedding Area holds 375 guests.

EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Reception Area holds 375 guests.

MEETING CAPACITY: Several spaces accommodate up to 375 guests.

Fees & Deposits

A $3,000 nonrefundable deposit is required to secure your date; the event balance is payable 60 days prior to the event along with a refundable security/cleanup deposit. Wedding packages start at $63/person and include use of the property, valet parking, catering, 4½ hours of beverage service, catering staff and bartender, linens, tableware and event coordination. Tax and a 15% service charge are additional.

Availability

Year-round, Saturday or Sunday, 8am–2:30pm or 3:30pm–midnight. Ask about off-season pricing mid-November through mid-April.

Catering

Provided

Alcohol

BYO

Location Uses

Ceremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners

Services/Amenities

Catering: provided
Kitchen Facilities: n/a
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: provided
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: provided
Bride’s Dressing Area: yes
Meeting Equipment: BYO
Parking: valet parking
Accommodations: no guestrooms
Telephone: house phone
Outdoor Night Lighting: yes
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no
Cleanup: caterer or renter
View: gardens, waterfalls, foothills, pond
Other: DJ, florist, cake

Amplified Music

Outdoors

Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair Accessible

Site Views

Fountain/Water Feature
Garden
Garden Patio/Courtyard
Hills
Lagoon/Pond
Landscaped Grounds
Waterfall

Venue Type

Banquet Hall/Events Facility
Garden

Restrictions

Alcohol: BYO, no corkage fees
Smoking: designated areas
Music: amplified OK outdoors
Wheelchair Access: yes
Insurance: liability required
Other: no rice, birdseed or confetti


Wedding Venues > Southern California Wedding Venues > Ventura Wedding Venues

Want to search again?

Wedding Checklist

Wedding Vendors You Might Like

Storkie Wedding InvitationsStorkie Wedding Invitations, Invitations
Designs by YuDesigns by Yu, Invitations
Butterfly Floral and Event DesignButterfly Floral and Event Design, Flowers
City Connection EntertainmentCity Connection Entertainment, DJs and Entertainment
Pink Cloud 9Pink Cloud 9, Coordinator / Wedding Planner

(What's this?)

The vendors listed above work in the Ventura region and are displayed randomly. They may or may not be preferred vendors at Hartley Botanica.

Search for more wedding vendors who work in Ventura or all of Southern California.

Register for your MyGuide account

tout_altWishing you could save a list of the places and services that interest you? You can. Register for MyGuide and save your favorite locations and services. You can even share your list with family or friends or post to your Facebook account.

Just getting started?


Know what questions to ask when evaluating a wedding venue and what questions to ask wedding vendors:   

Where will your wedding guests stay?

6–9 months before your wedding: Arrange hotel room blocks for out-of-town guests and book your own suite for the wedding night. Find your guest accommodations here! Southern California Wedding Venues With Guest Accommodations

Santa Barbara Weddings

Bride Groom Sunset Rincon Beach Club Santa Barbara is a stunning region for destination weddings. Its sublime weather is perfect for garden or beach wedding ceremonies, and its chic hotels and restaurants will rock your wedding reception. Most of our beautiful Santa Barbara wedding locations have Virtual Tours, so take a sneak peek right now!

Beach Weddings

Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel Beach Wedding CeremonyLove the idea of a beach wedding in California? We provide detailed information on dozens and dozens of beachfront wedding venues in California.