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| Lotusland, the Blue Garden. Photo Gerhard Bock, used with permission. |
It’s rare that I post on Saturday, even rarer that I post just a list of links, but sometimes a girl’s gotta share. And besides couldn't we all use a little distraction from the horrible events of the week?
...First up, I don’t know how many of you follow Gerhard Bock’s blog Bamboo, Succulents and More if you don’t then you’ve been missing out on an incredible series about one of my favorite gardens EVER…Lotusland in Santa Barbara, California. Gerhard’s eye and skill behind the camera lens combines with his thirst for knowledge on the subject to create a can’t be missed 5-part photo smorgasbord. These posts are almost as good as visiting yourself! Almost.
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| Lotusland, the Aloe Garden. Photo Gerhard Bock, used with permission. |
Part 1 - features the Visitor Center and Australian Garden, the Tropical Garden and the Japanese Garden.
Part 2 - is about the Blue Garden, the Cycad Garden, the Fern Garden and the Bromeliad Garden.
Part 3 - takes you to the Aloe Garden.
Part 4 - covers the Water Garden, the cacti and euphorbia plantings along the road to the main house and the main house itself.
Part 5 - wraps things up with a tour of the Cactus Garden.
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| Lotusland, the Water Garden. Photo Gerhard Bock, used with permission. |
...Next up, did you know that Moby (yes that Moby) has an architecture blog? I visit for a bit of L.A. mid-century architecture porn, but recently he linked to a video for The Lonely Night. Perhaps you’ve already seen it but if not it’s worth a look (and listen)…there are absolutely gorgeous desert shots!
...Finally do you know the Cactguy? He’s on Tumbler and is co-hosting the “First Annual Tumblr Spring Botanical Art Show” he asked me to help get the word out so here’s a link to his post with the details. I’ll cut right to the important part… “The winners will receive botanical swag from the four (hosts) including cacti, succulents, and bromeliads cleaned, labeled, and ready to go with instructions, cacti seed, botanical prints, and photographic prints.” Nice!
I've been following Gerhard's awesome series too. The photos are fantastic and his narrative is detailed in a way that it is the next best thing to taking the tour yourself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the other tip too.
As I was putting together the list of his links I found myself getting lost in them all over again...so easy to do!
DeleteI was just out to Lotusland a few weeks ago: I've visited before (about eight years ago) and it goes from strength to strength. The new Cactus extravaganza had just been planted my last visit, looking a bit harsh--this time it had grown in: blew my mind! Everything was pristine and every blade of grass seemed to have been combed. A real tour-de-force: a spectacle garden of artistic beauty with great integrity of collections. One of America's greatest horticultural treasures. Virginia Hayes--their curator and moral compass--is a National treasure.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! My husband was a little hesitant to go, fearing it would be over the top and cartoonish. He left with a sense of awe at what we'd seen. I think next time we visit I'll take a page from Gerhard's book and do both the morning tour and afternoon...one with a docent and one on my own.
DeleteLoree, thank you for the write-up. I'd never been mentioned in the same breath as Moby before. High honor because I love his music :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad it worked out that way! I wonder if Moby has been to Lotusland?
DeleteThanks for the plug! Hopefully we get enough entries before the May 1st deadline for a proper show!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know about Gerhard Bock’s Lotusland series. I'll pop right over for a look. I'm going to see Lotusland in person in May! So excited!
ReplyDelete