big springs gardens

The Sacramento Bee had a feature article on these gardens. The owner, Don Phillips, is now 90 and has decided to put it up for sale. He bought the property in 1964 and developed it, building a residence and beautiful gardens. He has visited Giverny (Monet's garden) many times. People refer to his garden as the "Monet in the Mountains." This was the last week before closing for the season and if the property sells, it may not be open next year. We had a wonderful buffet lunch which is included in the admission price...salmon, meatballs, cheeses, fruits and ice cream and peach cobbler and a variety of cakes. You can purchase wine or beer if you desire. We asked Mr. Phillips if he has had any interest in the property and he said yes, and that he panics. He obviously loves this place that he has put so much of his life into. We hope the new owner continues having the gardens open and the lunch and BBQs and Sunday Brunch. It is a little hard to find. But just ask, and you will be directed.

We really enjoyed our first visit to Big Springs Gardens. It's an amazing place. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the scenery is wonderful and peaceful. We hope to visit again next year...at the beginning of the season to see more flowers, and the end of the season to see more fall colors.

Absolutely stunning locale: fabulous house and gardens nestled within a forest with craggy mountains as the backdrop! Can't believe the creation Don Phillips realized in nowhere. So impressive. Lunch around the natural pools was such a treat. We drug it out as long as possible to savor the experience and then walked around the forest afterwards.

My wife and I went here two weeks ago on a Thursday. You make your reservation directly with the owner Don Phillips who is over 90 years old. A great guy. The fee is $35-39 depending on the day. The water is running a bit low this year, but the experience is really awesome. Don has built a trail system around the 30 acre property over the last 50 years where you see a variety of natural as well as imported flowering plants. Early Summer is probably better, but mid-Summer is nice too, but no so many flowers. Go early before it gets too hot, then relax at the lunch patio for a really great meal. The meal includes tax, tip, and non-alcoholic drinks. The meal always features fresh Salmon and awesome deserts. It is buffet, but the staff serves a lot of the food which is excellent. Don says that 2014 will be his last year, so get there before the end of September. After a delightful lunch head down the hill (west) to the Kentucky Mine "gold rush" attraction. The only issue here is that no dogs are allowed on the property or in the outdoor lunch area, so fido has to stay home. Check out the web site BigSpringsgardens.com

You would NEVER expect to find this in the town of Sierra City. Sierra City is about a one hour drive from Truckee! The scenery along the highway is varied, from open range to craggy peaks!The gardens are the work of Don Phillips who has spent 50 years of his life perfecting them. He started with 118 acres and created fern grottoes and a Monet type bridge and pond. Everywhere you turn on the well developed paths are a new vignettes !We had made reservation for lunch ahead of time. We were treated to fresh salmon, three different salads, chicken and three varieties of fresh cheese. For dessert we were served FRESH peach cobbler,carrot cake , and ice cream. If you leave hungry it is your own fault!The property is for sale, so go as soon as you can!

Not a botanical gardens, but a natural garden, sugar pine, cedar, wild flowers, good walk. Good lunch available, but book. However, owner might sell this year, then I don't know if it will still be available. Take route from Auburn, Truckee, Graeagle or Reno. www.bigspringsgardens.com

The drive from Truckee took about an hour on a 2-lane road. Beautiful drive - the last 20 minutes is on a fairly winding road so beware for those who get car sick. The setting is absolutely lovely and my husband and I took a trail up to the water source of the springs. It was a breezy day so the bugs didn't bother is too much but we did notice cans of bug spray near the eating area so the bugs must be a problem on calm days.The lunch was tasty and filling although the meatballs were the only item that was just okay. The peach cobbler was THE BEST I've ever eaten. Staff is very friendly and accommodating.Be sure to call before going as there was a For Sale sign at the entrance.

This is our second visit to Big Springs Garden, and we have greatly enjoyed both visits. We attended the Wednesday noon lunch and had a wonderful choice at the buffet of several salads, fresh fruit, smoked salmon, Swedish meatballs, several cheeses, and several excellent desserts. The setting is a gorgeous backdrop for a great meal.

Absolutely beautiful! The drive is long but scenic. The dining environment is stunning, the food is always delicious.

Scenery is fantastic, soft music playing in the background during our buffet dinner. You can walk around the grounds, explore the vegetation, running water, feed the fish in the pond.

Gorgeous grounds, extensive rock work and natural beauty, with creeks running down the hillside and Tiger Lilies growing wild near the water. The food is GREAT, in a wonderful setting. Pricy, but a fun experience. The backdrop of the Sierra Buttes is incredible.

Arrive an hour before your meal to stroll around the gardens and enjoy the nature trails, large pond and waterfalls on the property. Or allow time after your meal to stroll around. That is part of the full effect of the property. Food is always outstanding! A truly great value in a very unique, peaceful setting.

I had wanted to visit this place For several years but always found it difficult tomget a call back from them to make a reservation. The entry fee is $12.00. Lunch is a buffet that costs $25.00 in addition to the entry fee. We chose not to eat. We did look over the buffett and were glad that we had chosen to not partake.The pond with the trout, and plenty of food for feeding them, was charming. We did hike most of the trails. We are active seniors and enjoyed but they are not gentle little, level trails. The road to get there, especially from the west is beautiful. And there is no entry fee.Honestly, we were disappointed. I understand that few flowers will be in bloom in late August but there are more wildflowers along the highway than there were flowers in the gardens.I really want be honest and fair and I am a person who likes to garden, to visit public gardens, to take garden tours and just to take a walk in the woods. And I am willing to pay a fair price to do so. This was worth a $3.00 entry fee at best.Pack a picnic, enjoy the drive on # 49, and have lunch by the river.

Gratitude is the word that comes to mind after spending time is this special place.Quiet, spiritual, and delicious. The food was fresh and homemade, staff were kind and smiling.The owner made us feel like we were his personal guests and the entire experience was outstanding. I highly recommend anyone would find this a refreshing and meaningful way to spend a day.

Our friends got married here in July. It was a stunning wedding, set among the backdrop of the mountains like something out of a movie. The food is excellent, the best salmon I have ever eaten, both the lox and the cooked (poached?) salmon.