The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden had been on my list for awhile. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I was excited to discover what it was all about during our December 2014 trip to Southern California.
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Please let me set the scene. I momentarily perched right there on that low wall (below) while I called up my plant lust partner, Patricia, to check in on things back at home. She was kindly keeping an eye on my plants. When we left Portland there was talk of an arctic outbreak, thankfully that didn't materialize. So...plants at home taken care of here I was in Arcadia, CA, with an 80 degree day ahead. It was December 23rd!
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I started off with plans to keep my camera in my handbag. Just enjoy the garden, I told myself. Right. That didn't last long.
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"The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is a unique 127-acre botanical garden and historical site located in what was the heart of the historic Rancho Santa Anita in the city of Arcadia" (source). This beauty is an Agave bovicornuta...
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To be honest I'd put off posting about this visit thinking I'd take the time to organize my photos in a logical manner. No. That's not happening. I darted back and forth, here and there, with no logical reason except for when something caught my eye. This will not be an orderly post.
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For an overall garden map click here. I can tell you that today we'll see the Celebration Garden, Weaver’s Garden, Garden For All Seasons, Water Conservation Garden, Desert Display Garden, Aloe Trail and Madagascar Spiny Forest...you probably won't know exactly where we are unless you're keen to what plants belong where. I avoided the Carnivorous Plants/Epiphyllum Collection and the Tropical Greenhouse/Orchids area...they were indoors and I was too thrilled to be outside and warm, in December,
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There were many peacocks wandering through the garden. These were on top of shade cloth, it was a little odd to walk under these birds.
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I love the notion of an Aloe Trail, especially when they're in bloom!
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Oh - but I think here I might have turned back towards the Water Conservation Garden, or maybe the Desert Display Garden...
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Agave tequilana 'Limeno'
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I think these are Agave vilmoriniana. I'm usually pretty good at photographing labels/signage so either there wasn't much, or I was mentally just going with the "enjoy not document" mindset.
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Were back on the Aloe Trial now, I think.
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I've previously shared this image and the next on the plant lust blog. That little hummingbird was fearless.
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And then needed a rest.
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What's better than a Bismarckia nobilis? An entire forest of them...
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Wait, a brief moment to admire the Aloe...
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And back to the palms.
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A change of scenery...
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So seriously cool. For another, more knowledgeable, look at the Madagascar Spiny Forest check out the blog Piece of Eden for a post she recently did on this section of the garden. For additional (fun) reading here's a story on the Spiny Forest that appeared in Pacific Horticulture magazine (thanks to POE blog commenter Nell for the link).
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I know these as Euphorbia polygona cv. 'Snowflake'
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...and with that we end Part One, come back tomorrow for the, Serpent Trail/Australian Discovery Area, Bauer Lawn & Fountains, Prehistoric Forest, Balwin Lake and you know, more...
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Please let me set the scene. I momentarily perched right there on that low wall (below) while I called up my plant lust partner, Patricia, to check in on things back at home. She was kindly keeping an eye on my plants. When we left Portland there was talk of an arctic outbreak, thankfully that didn't materialize. So...plants at home taken care of here I was in Arcadia, CA, with an 80 degree day ahead. It was December 23rd!
I started off with plans to keep my camera in my handbag. Just enjoy the garden, I told myself. Right. That didn't last long.
"The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is a unique 127-acre botanical garden and historical site located in what was the heart of the historic Rancho Santa Anita in the city of Arcadia" (source). This beauty is an Agave bovicornuta...
To be honest I'd put off posting about this visit thinking I'd take the time to organize my photos in a logical manner. No. That's not happening. I darted back and forth, here and there, with no logical reason except for when something caught my eye. This will not be an orderly post.
For an overall garden map click here. I can tell you that today we'll see the Celebration Garden, Weaver’s Garden, Garden For All Seasons, Water Conservation Garden, Desert Display Garden, Aloe Trail and Madagascar Spiny Forest...you probably won't know exactly where we are unless you're keen to what plants belong where. I avoided the Carnivorous Plants/Epiphyllum Collection and the Tropical Greenhouse/Orchids area...they were indoors and I was too thrilled to be outside and warm, in December,
There were many peacocks wandering through the garden. These were on top of shade cloth, it was a little odd to walk under these birds.
I love the notion of an Aloe Trail, especially when they're in bloom!
Oh - but I think here I might have turned back towards the Water Conservation Garden, or maybe the Desert Display Garden...
Agave tequilana 'Limeno'
I think these are Agave vilmoriniana. I'm usually pretty good at photographing labels/signage so either there wasn't much, or I was mentally just going with the "enjoy not document" mindset.
Were back on the Aloe Trial now, I think.
I've previously shared this image and the next on the plant lust blog. That little hummingbird was fearless.
And then needed a rest.
What's better than a Bismarckia nobilis? An entire forest of them...
Wait, a brief moment to admire the Aloe...
And back to the palms.
A change of scenery...
So seriously cool. For another, more knowledgeable, look at the Madagascar Spiny Forest check out the blog Piece of Eden for a post she recently did on this section of the garden. For additional (fun) reading here's a story on the Spiny Forest that appeared in Pacific Horticulture magazine (thanks to POE blog commenter Nell for the link).
I know these as Euphorbia polygona cv. 'Snowflake'
...and with that we end Part One, come back tomorrow for the, Serpent Trail/Australian Discovery Area, Bauer Lawn & Fountains, Prehistoric Forest, Balwin Lake and you know, more...
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.