Friday, July 13, 2012

Huntington Garden Fridays, chapter 2


This is the second of a month-long series on my recent visit to the Huntington Botanical Gardens. You can see "chapter 1" here.

For me the reason to visit the Huntington is the Desert Garden, it's pure magic...and it’s huge! From their website: “The 10-acre Desert Garden features more than 5,000 species of succulents and desert plants in 6- landscaped beds”

Along the main path towards the Desert Garden we saw a row of plants showing the bloom cycle of the Bromelia balansae ‘Heart of Flame’ from its very beginning as a bright flush of red…

Right through to the end…

Back when I first visited the Huntington in 2009 the Desert Garden Conservatory was closed, this time I got to go inside. This building is home to 3,000 “vulnerable succulents” that may not survive the conditions outside of the greenhouse (from too much water to freezing temperatures, not that it gets that cold in Pasadena, CA). Cotyledon undulata, from South Africa...

Orthophytum gurkenii from Brazil…

Unfortunately I didn’t get names on the rest of the oddballs as it was Memorial Day when we visited and the place was packed with people!

Of course the Agaves we know, Agave victoriae reginae variegata…

Agave titanota

Agave ferdinandi-regis

Furcuraea variegata

Does it look 84 years old?

Agave attenuata ‘variegata’

The same joined with A. attenuata 'Ray of Light' on the right.

Okay back outside it’s time to start our journey…

I made the decision to not try and catalogue a bunch of names but to just enjoy the beauty. It’s one thing to hold up my husband while I’m snapping multiple photos and hunting for the name of the plant, but since we were with a group I tried to not be too disruptive (who am I kidding right? They had to wait for me to catch up several times).

I should also mention that I didn’t use any filters when taking (or processing) these pictures. The sky was crazy that day and as a result many of my photos look hand-tinted…or at least I think they do…

Aloe affinis (South Africa)

Aeonium noble, from the Canary Islands

Aloe plicatilis (South Africa)

And finally, Pseudobombax ellipticum (Shaving-Brush Tree)

Next week we finish our walk through the Desert Garden, we’re only at the halfway point. Oh and the second half is Agave-rific!

37 comments:

  1. HEAVEN! I think I'm going to plan a trip this fall. And I'm going to go by myself. That way I can stop as often as I want. The question is: How much memory will I need for my camera?

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    1. Ah yes...you wouldn't want to be caught with a full memory card! You'll also want to plan to visit California Cactus Center nearby (http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2010/03/california-cactus-center.html) and then as you start home you'll need to stop at a place in Fillmore that I'll be blogging about soon. You better make it a long weekend.

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  2. So, what are real estate prices and the job market like in Pasadena? Could you imagine living close enough to visit this wonder often and better yet, grow these plants outdoors? Thanks again for spectacular picutres!

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    1. I would be in HEAVEN! Seriously. Maybe I'd better start buying lottery tickets.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 13, 2012

    I was absolutely enthralled with the desert garden when I visited the Huntington several years ago. That was way before I had a digital camera. Now I am again entralled to be able to view the fantastic photos you took. I agree it would be wonderful to live where you could grow so many great succulents. But we do our best with what we've got.

    Ragna

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    1. "we do our best with what we've got"...I hear ya! And oh I am so glad to have the magic of the digital camera...and lots of memory for said camera.

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  4. Wow, wow, wow! fabulous collectin. I especially love that Agave attenuata ‘variegata’, just stunning. Terrific set of images, thanks for taking us on this tour.

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    1. You are so welcome...be sure to check back next week!

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  5. Been there once, but your tour reminds me to return...including to see their zen garden. But tree aloes...I like those more than even tree yuccas, but I just pretend I don't know about that stuff here in Sunset Z 10...

    Great June Gloom lighting, too.

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    1. I didn't even make it close to the Japanese garden...maybe next time.

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  6. Totally amazing. Since Joe won't let me grow an agave, maybe he'll let me drag him there as consolation. That variegated guy was stunning.

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    1. What the heck is wrong with Joe? How can he say such a silly thing? Is it the spikes? Would the attenuatta pass with it's soft leaves?

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    2. It has something to do with an ex-boyfriend who bought agaves and never weeded them, leaving the task to Joe, who gets this haunted look whenever I even mention agaves. "No spikes" is basically his only rule, so, you know, sometimes you have to compromise. Know any tall, spikeless cactI?

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  7. What a place! 10 acres? Wow.

    The only thing missing from your photos is a panoramic view (or two).

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    1. I don't know how well that would have turned out. Some of the pathways are pretty walled in with tall plants...and the people, they get in the way too. Still something to try next time.

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  8. oh my goodness oh my goodness!!! that is insanely amazingly epical! I'm actually salivating at how beautiful that is. EPIC!!!!!

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    1. Don't you want to just pack your bags and move in?

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  9. You do this to torment me don't you......Awesome tour, THANKS! I have never seen Agave attenuata ‘variegata’, must have one.

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    1. Yes, exactly.

      I paid too much for an A. attenuata ‘variegata’ a few years back and have almost lost it a couple of times. Mine is no where near the specimen that you see here, but it's got a few new leaves this year.

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  10. There are no adequate adjectives, so I'll just say "Thanks for this"!

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  11. amazing journey thru your eyes of the camera....other wordily!!! I want to go

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    1. It definitely does take on an otherworldly look doesn't it? A world I want to live in!

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  12. Yes! Some of your photos have a real hand tinted look and the grey sky really makes them stand out in the sunlight. One thought, Furcurea and Agave attentuata should do fine outdoors even in SF Bay area. My understanding from my last visit to the Huntington is that some of the more spectacular potted plants are "cycled" around to different spots such as the new Conservatory when needed. Many are planted out when they grow too large for pots.

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    1. I was questioning that (the Furcurea and Agave attentuata outdoors) too, and thought maybe it was just to keep them protected and "perfect"...and to show them off up close. I like the idea of them being cycled around...

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    2. Fergus Garrett at Great Dixter in Britain used to lug a huge Furcurea in and out of a greenhouse twice a year until it bloomed. They set it in the ground for summer then would laborously lift and pot it again.
      There are several at San Francisco's botanical garden which is quite cold and damp in winter, not frosty though.

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  13. Absolutely stunning photos!

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  14. OMG, your pictures are gorgeous, and make me want to go this weekend... Did you hear - apparently they are planning to tear down the current desert conservatory and replace it with a better/larger building? I love the conservatory, it's one of my favorite places. I wish they would sell plants year round... Also - did you see the barrel cacti + agaves? I'm assuming that's next week... Thanks for your amazing pictures!

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    1. How lucky are you that you can just "pop" on over there!

      I didn't hear that, interesting. And yes! They should totally sell plants year round. I bet a lot of people would love to be able to purchase something from the garden to take home...visitors who don't live close enough to go to the sales.

      I do believe I got a few photos of the Barrels and Agaves, I hope so!

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  15. I go there all the time yet it's fun to see it through other eyes. You must visit in winter when so many of the Aloes are in spectacular bloom with hummingbirds zipping everywhere and screeching their little lungs out at each other. We almost never visit in summer (too freaking hot) so I've never witnessed that Bromeliad bloom. Always something new to see.

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  16. dam..I'm hyperventilating over that Cotyledon undulata..these are just splendid photos-really enjoying these 'Huntington Fridays" !

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  17. I really, really want to see this place, but can't see when it will happen. So thank you for your photos, and I look forward to the next post.

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  18. OMG! I am definitely staying longer in California on my next visit. If I could choose, I'd want to have all those variegated agaves and that E. arenarius. Loree, you must have been giddy as a child.

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  19. Thank you for your posted photos of Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light' as well as the Aloe plicatilis! Our landscape expert just asked if we would consider them in our plan. They are indeed beautiful! Many thanks!

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