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 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, actually Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius - Santa Cruz Island 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.

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Ventura Botanical Gardens

I visited the Ventura Botanical Gardens as part of a trip to Southern California last November.

This was my second visit, the first was back in late 2015 (coverage here). Back then I was surprised by how the sad the plants looked as a result of the record drought the area had been dealing with. Unfortunately things got even worse in 2017 when the Thomas Fire hit the area, as a result the garden closed. This current version of the garden (reopened in late 2018) is much improved and looks to be on its way to great things...

Our visit (me + my sister-in-law, niece, and mother-in-law) started at the welcome center, which doubles as a small nursery and gift shop. 

Love the containers and plants out front...

...as well as the colorful pots for sale inside. Behind the fence was an off-limits nursery area, it looked to be full of plants getting ready to be planted out in the garden.

Follow the flower pathway...

Jubaea chilensis, aka Chilean wine palm

I didn't catch the name of these cactus, but no doubt they'll grow up to be a nice extension of the rock wall.

Love the rock and metal work...

This scene reminds me very much of my first visit. Thirsty plants!

Puya coerulea (I believe)

Lobelia excelsa (Tabaco del Diablo)

The foliage on the left reminded me of fabiana, we'll see more of this in a bit.

Puya chilensis were everywhere...

I never did see signage for the pink succulent that carpets large areas of the garden.

Cordia decandra

Eulychnia acida

Didn't see a name for this spiky character.

You're rewarded for the climb with a nice view of Ventura and the Pacific Ocean.

NoID

Here's more of the plant I thought looked like a fabiana, turns out it is! Fabiana imbricata, aka pichi.

Quillaja saponaria, aka soap bark tree. Love those seed pods...

Larrea nitida, love those leaves.

Starting our descent now...

A close up of the pink succulent, it's definitely experiencing drought stress. Or maybe I should say it was last November when I took these photos, I know the area as gotten rain in the months since that visit.

Hopefully this sea of sad kalanchoe has perked up too.

Although the condition of the plants wasn't stopping them from producing their beautiful blooms.

Back down at the visitors center/gift shop we shopped. I was mostly interested in their wheeled carts...

Fabulous, but to big to get home.

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