The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (a 2023 visit)

Here's another of those garden visits that got a little lost in time. The day was November 17th, of 2023. Yes, last year. After visiting Lotusland I set out for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The sky was threatening and they warned me at the admissions desk that they might be closing early. Thankfully I was able to stroll until without interruption. I had visited this garden once before, back in 2012, so I knew the general layout. Since I was on my own I also took my time and played with a newish camera. Agave shawii are one of the sexiest agaves, in my opinion. Sadly they're also not at all hardy and (from what I've read) aren't worth trying to grow in containers. So I love them when I see them in California...
Hold House! I wish there were things in the hold house for me (there is a nursery on site).
I walked through the manzanita section before backtracking to the beginning and doing the desert section. There were many gorgeous specimens, but none that I managed to get the name of. I should also mention that the garden has a focus on California native plants.





Lyonothamnus floribundus, aka Catalina ironwood.

Oh look, I'm back at the Agave shawii...


Dudleya some somebody

Cylindropuntia bigelovii, aka teddy-bear cholla
Agave 'Blue Flame', oh so photographable.


Yep, another Agave shawii

I find dried-out cactus skeletons quite fascinating.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you...

Yucca schidigera, the Mojave yucca.


Nolina bigelovii, poor thing needs a lie-down.
Ferns!
Polypodium scouleri I believe.
And possibly Christella puberula, synonym Thelypteris puberula.

The bloom on that agave was crazy short, it was fun to be able to see the flowers *almost* at eye level.
I found a label for this one, Agave sebastiana, and I think it's the same as the one that's blooming.
Notice the hummingbird sitting on the tall bloomed-out spike. It wanted to come back to the blooms but wasn't going to risk it with me there.
So many flowers!


I've crossed the road that separates the two parts of the garden now, and I'm near where you're supposed to have a view of the Channel Islands. Not on a cloudy day like this however.


Oh well. It was still a fabulous visit.