The Desert Garden at Balboa Park

The Desert Garden at Balboa Park is separated from the rest of the park by a busy street. To get there you cross over the boulevard on a footbridge, which provides a nice overview of the park as you approach.

According to their website: "The Desert Garden contains more than 1,300 plants, including succulents and drought-resistant plants from around the world, within its 2.5 acres." I tried to find out how old the garden is but the best I could do was a brief mention on a sunglass website that said the garden came into being in the 1970's.

I did locate a rather odd map that highlights various plants in the garden and gives you an aerial view, see it for yourself here.

That's the footbridge we were walking over at the beginning of this visit.

And I believe this is Euphorbia ingens, the only other place I've seen a crazy contorted form like this is at Lotusland.

We first visited the garden in the evening, as the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. The light eventually faded and we left, vowing to return the next morning.

I wonder if Dustin was slapped with a fine?

Doubtful

The Agave attenuata seem to be favored targets, perhaps because they don't defend themselves well?

Agave colorata perhaps?

(close-up photo taken as later as the light got worse)

A small, blooming, aloe Dichotoma.

That bench provided a nice spot to sit and take it all in.

What a nice way to honor a loved one.

This is where the photos from our morning visit start.

It was such a thrill to visit Southern California when the aloes were in bloom.

Perhaps an Aloe bainesii, on the left?

I think that may be a Furcraea macdougallii, in the bend.

Idria columnaris, the boojum tree

Dracaena draco, the dragon tree (and my 6ft-2inch husband, for scale)

Agave pups on a stalk!

Agave vilmoriniana

And finally another, much larger Aloe dichotoma.

It's a wonderful garden, don't you agree?

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.