Storrier Stearns Japanese Gardens

Was married here in May 2014. I just have one word «magical». I searched high and low for the perfect venue and by chance, stumbled upon this garden. It was the perfect spot for my 200 guests. The owners Jim and Connie are the nicest people you will ever meet. Deanie, the events coordinator was fantastic to work with. Extremely resourceful, excellent follow through and just so accommodating. We had such a wonderful time and can honestly say… they made my special day… well, special.

Surprisingly a really cool place!
I say surprise because it’s a «venue» in a residential neighborhood with no signs or parking. I do think it adds to it’s charm.
The unassuming venue is actually really beautiful and would be perfect for so many different events. I like the simplicity of the background — trees, flowers, a few seating areas sporadically set up, and a beautiful pond in the middle of it all.
The stage is tucked in the corner, so one would have to be creative in the setup, but overall, a really nice area.
Things to keep in mind:
There is no parking, so valet is necessary and they’ll park your car on the street, which is fine. BUT picking up your car would be hectic and would take awhile because they have to run around the neighborhood to retrieve them.
The paths are not cemented, plus they are windy and on a slope. Some ladies had a hard time walking in heels.
The bathroom is currently in construction, and it is also tucked away, so it’s a trek up to the main level if need to use.

Loved this place so much. We just go there to sit and relax and be away for a while. Grate for taking pictures also

One of the best, unique Japanese garden locations in California.
We rented it recently for a photo shoot, and it worked out perfectly.
Deanie was very helpful, accommodating, and low-​stress.
The price was great for a photo location rental…$ 150 per hour, 2hr min.
That’s pretty low, considering what we usually have to pay for locations ($ 1,500 and up).
I’ll definitely be back.
:-)

Great views. Good spot for pictures. In residential neighborhood. Small garden. There is another garden across the street from this one if you want to check out 2 at the same time.

super cute wedding venue but small dance floor, portable toilets only, lots of dirt so everyone’s shoes get pretty dirty. i don’t know anything about costs, logistics, staff but as a guest it was a great wedding spot — lots of cute details like the teahouse and little trails!

While searching for wedding venues, we found Storrier Steans on Unilocal,so we contacted them and went to check it out.
Upon walking in we were awestruck at the natural beauty of the gardens. It has multiple sections with streams, ponds and a beautiful tea house imported from Japan. Different plants and flowers were blooming, which just made it a stunning setting and we knew right away it would make the most beautiful wedding location.
We met with Deanie, the manager, and also Jim and Connie, the owners. All three of them are complete gems! They welcomed us with open arms, and instantly we felt like part of the family. They all were easy to work with throughout the 6 month planning process.
We had a guest count of 125, which the garden accommodated nicely. We set up our wedding on multiple areas of the garden, and it couldn’t have worked out any better. (Ask them for details on our set up)
All of our guests commented how we had the best wedding in the most beautiful setting. That’s such a huge compliment, not only to us, but to everyone at Storrier Stearns. They only started having weddings here a little over a year ago, so just about every guest had never been here, so it was a very welcomed surprise for them.
I couldn’t more highly recommend Storrier Stearns Japanese Gardens for a wedding, event or even a visit the last Sunday of the month.
Thank you Jim, Connie, Deanie and Chucho!

This is not a public garden. It is somebody’s backyard. But the couple opens it to the public once a month and rents it out for special events and weddings. The amount of work they have put into this garden, from the waterfall, to the giant pond to the Japanese Tea House is amazing. They also hold workshops which you can check out on the website. If you need to get away from the noise of the wedding party, then walk 20 feet across the street to Arlington Garden, which is a free public park. Lots of sitting areas for thinking time and even in November, the orange grove is blooming. Free street parking.

As you’d expect, this is a small place and unfortunately a poor value. Unless you sit down for a while in some of the chairs, you’ll be in and out of there in 5 – 10 minutes. $ 10 is a bit steep for that. $ 7.50 could be as well. I know they need to maintain the garden, but $ 5 or even a suggested donation scenario would have felt a lot better. Look at it this way, it costs less money to visit the Arboretum, which has 127 acres of various gardens and greenhouses. There is also a bigger Japanese garden in Van Nuys that is $ 3.00 to get in. If you do go here, make sure to also stroll around the free Arlington Garden across the street.

Every 4^th Sunday, the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is open to the public. I finally had the chance to visit with my husband and we are so glad that we did. Apart from the very special gardens, and gorgeous setting, we had the pleasure of receiving a personal tour from Mr. Haddad. He and his wife are the owners of this unique garden and are clearly very passionate about the legacy of this treasure.
With two ponds, numerous bronze figures and lanterns, and a delicate tea house, this property is a delight to stroll. There were a few small groups of people just sitting in the different seating areas and enjoying the dappled afternoon sunlight.
I can only imagine how magical this location would be for an event.