Let’s drop by the Huntington; plants on plants

Hey, look at that, we're back at the Huntington Garden in San Marino, CA...

One of the first blog posts from my December 2019 visit to the garden was about jungle cactus growing in and on other plants, such as an opuntia, and a low branching tree (here). This post continues the theme of plants growing on other plants. Look closely at that bleached bare stump behind the tall white cactus in the center of the photo...

That one there...

Did you already spot that cute little ball cactus perched on top of a branch? Seed grown I wonder, perhaps "planted" by a bird? Or a plant placed there by a gardener?

Next up we have a palm...

At first glance there is nothing remarkable about the palm's trunk, but look closer. See anything?

The Kalanchoe are what I first spotted but there's another ball cactus and a small columnar some-something too. I absolutely love this.

Our third installment isn't technically plants on plants so much as it's plants on a rock, well, unless you consider the moss, which I suppose I am, so plants on moss!

This one I'd believe happened naturally, but the fact there's both an opuntia and an agave makes me think there was a human hand at work here.

The name of this series "let's drop by the Huntington" was inspired by a fantasy of living close enough that I could stop by and wander the pathways any old time the mood struck. I can't help but think there are more of these "plants on plants" out there to be discovered, if only I were able to visit more often and hunt for them...

Weather Diary, Sept 23: Hi 67, Low 60/ Precip .74" (seriously) 

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Wednesday Vignette: Let’s drop by the Huntington

I'm all sorts of in love with this image from my December 2019 visit to the Huntington Gardens. It looks like I have a fancy camera with a fish-eye lens, right? But this was taken with my trusty old Sony Cyber-Shot point-and-shoot before it died, later, on this same vacation.

You guys the last week has been hard. We're all dealing with this strange new normal in our own way. For the most part I've been doing pretty well, and why wouldn't I? I'm lucky. I've got my garden, nurseries are open and pretty safe to visit. I've had lots of masked garden visitors, and most importantly I've not been sick, nor have my loved ones. My husband is still employed and my cobbled together freelance work is still rolling—nothing to complain about right? Right. Yet. I've been home for nearly six months straight now. I have never EVER been home for that long. Travel is so important to me. I miss my family, my friends, a change of scenery. I so want to get out on the road. But I also understand the importance of playing it safe. So home I stay. How are you doing?

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Weather Diary, Aug 25: Hi 82, Low 57/ Precip 0

Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Let’s drop by the Huntington

Back on December 21st, 2019, I spent the day at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California. I visited solo, so I was free to take as long as I wanted, wherever I wanted. Several times I just sat still and soaked up the sun and the feeling of being there, reflecting on the outstanding year that had come before.

My blog post for New Year's Eve 2019/20 was titled An amazing year draws to a close... and I recounted all the wonderful places I traveled during 2019. I ended that post with: "What will 2020 hold? Well it's gonna take a lot to beat 2019... but I can't wait to find out!"... oh honey, if you only knew!

2020—it's not what any of us thought it was going to be, is it?

As a blogger, there's another change I'm coming to terms with—recently Google completely overhauled their blogging platform. Things that used to be second nature now require thought and work-arounds. The only people who seem to have benefited from the changes are those who blog on mobile devices and rarely upload more than a couple of photos. For those who publish photo heavy posts, these changes are problematic.

I have hundreds of photos to share from my visit to the Huntington. Usually I'd write five or six posts, each with with upwards of 45 so photos, and call it good. But that's not happening anytime soon, at least not until I figure out the quirks of this new system. So I'm starting a new series "Let's drop by the Huntington"...it's gonna take awhile, but I'll eventually share all the photos I want, and maybe it will feel a little like I live nearby and can drop by weekly—a dream of mine. Plus it will be a challenge to comb through my photos and find the smaller stories, short bursts of Huntington magic. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Sound good? Here we go!

Today we're exploring the new entrance, what you see outside (photos above) and what you see just inside the gate, photos below. My last visit here was in 2014, back then they'd started construction on the new entrance and the "California Garden" but it was all torn up and behind construction walls.

According to the plaque there at the end of the rill this is the "Celebration Garden"...

During my short time watching I observed several people walk out onto those three steps in the center of the rill to have their photos taken. Yes, and there are signs asking people to stay out.

The California Garden is just off to the right... "Landscaped with nearly 50,000 California natives and dry-climate plants, covering 6.5 acres, the...California Garden reflects the local Mediterranean climate as well as the agricultural and elegant estate history of the 207-acre Huntington grounds."

Wide open spaces punctuated with agaves, what's not to love?

There were aloes too, and that extremely picturesque eucalyptus—at least that's what I think it is. (*update, it is! Eucalyptus rhodantha*)

And more euphorbia than I've ever seen in a single spot.

Did I mention agaves?

I'll admit, it kind of drove me a little crazy that I couldn't get out there and look at that eucalyptus up close...

Weather Diary, June 21: Hi 76, Low 59/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.