Chapter 1: Michael Bonfante: The Man Who Loved Trees
Gilroy Gardens was created and built by Michael Bonfante, a man who always loved trees—especially BIG ones. He found them to be both calming and inspiring.
In the 1970s, Michael was very busy managing his family’s supermarket business, Nob Hill Foods. To satisfy what he called his "tree habit," he opened a nursery called Tree Haven in 1975 so he could grow and sell big trees.
About that same time, Michael began to dream even bigger. He wanted to build a park that would inspire young people to appreciate the beauty of trees. So in 1977, he opened Nob Hill Family Park—providing a home for all his natural wonders and a fun place for his employees to picnic and play.
Chapter 2: Axel Erlandson and the Circus Trees
The incredible Circus Trees now found at Gilroy Gardens are a collection of sycamores, box elders, ash and Spanish cork trees that were originally shaped and grafted into whimsical shapes starting in the 1920s (over 100 years ago!) by Swedish immigrant Axel Erlandson.
Inspired by observing a natural graft between two trees, Erlandson began to shape his woven wonders made from “threads” of living wood. He spent over 40 years shaping the trees into complex designs in shapes like hearts, lightning bolts, basket weaves, and rings.
In 1946, Erlandson opened the “Tree Circus” in Scotts Valley for locals and tourists to experience the wonder of “The World’s Strangest Trees.” The trees were featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not and gained even more notoriety after a Life Magazine article in 1957. But in the decades following Erlandson’s death in 1964, the trees were mostly forgotten and neglected.
For many years, Santa Cruz architect Mark Primack led a valiant effort to save the trees and keep them alive. His efforts attracted the attention of tree lover Michael Bonfante, who launched the “80-Ton Tree Caper” in 1985 to carefully dig up the surviving trees, transport them over the Santa Cruz Mountains, and transplant them at what is now Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park.
Chapter 3: Building the Dream
In the mid-1980s, Michael Bonfante purchased over 500 acres surrounding his Tree Haven nursery and family park. He imported interesting trees from as far away as Holland and Italy, and rocks from as far as Idaho and Montana. With the addition of the Circus Trees, the tapestry of his vision began to take shape.
Michael travelled the globe to visit other public gardens. After working through lots of ideas and calculating the numbers, he realized that he would need to add rides to his tree-themed park if he wanted to attract enough visitors to make his vision a reality.
In 1988, he added some small children's rides and renamed the park Hecker Pass…A Family Adventure, opening it up for other companies and large groups to enjoy. This continued to operate through 2000 while the larger theme park was under construction.
By the late 1990s, Michael Bonfante had grown Nob Hill Foods to 27 stores and 2,500 employees. Knowing how expensive it would be to build the park he wanted, Michael decided to sell the stores to a competitor and concentrate full-time on his theme park.
Michael personally oversaw every aspect of the park's construction, from initial drawings and architectural plans to digging out Coyote Lake, laying rails for Bonfante Railroad, and even carefully placing each boulder for Bonfante Falls. He even designed a special place in the center of the park for his favorite Circus Tree, the now-iconic Basket Tree that is featured in the park's logo.
Chapter 4: Welcoming the World
Bonfante Gardens officially opened to the public on June 15, 2001, which was Michael’s 60th birthday. And what a wonderful birthday party that was! Guests finally got to discover all the exciting rides nestled among gorgeous gardens and, of course, all of the incredible trees.
In the 25+ years since it opened, the park has undergone some changes—and several special celebrations. The park opened with night-time holiday light displays for the first time in 2004 and was renamed Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in 2007. In 2016, the park hosted a fascinating Chinese lantern festival called Lumination. The original Water Oasis made a splash in 2014, expanded with bigger water slides in 2018, and was followed by Lakeside Splash in 2024.
And in 2025, Gilroy Gardens will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, marking a full generation of magical memories!
Chapter 5: Keeping the Dream Alive
Since this beautiful park first opened in 2001, Gilroy Gardens has been the heart of childhood dreams—where imaginations blossom and magical memories take root.
Today, Gilroy Gardens features over 40 family rides and attractions and welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The celebrated "Circus Trees" still attract a lot of well-deserved attention, but they are actually just a very small percentage of the more than 10,000 trees still growing throughout the park’s 26+ acres.
Staying true to Michael Bonfante’s original vision of sharing his love of trees with children, the park includes a number of interactive learning exhibits where children—and their grownups—can learn more about nature and the environment.
More than just another amusement park, Gilroy Gardens remains a remarkable testament to one man’s vision and enduring passion for trees. And thanks to the support of its loyal members and the local community, the park will continue to thrive for generations to come.