MAGNIFICENT CACTI AND SUCCULENTS: The Desert Garden at the Huntington, San Marino, CA

Desert Garden at the Huntington Botanical Garden, San Marino, CA.

When “June Gloom” blankets the Pacific coast on the west side of Los Angeles where we live, we go inland to get a little sunshine. We don’t have to go far—one of our favorite places is the Huntington  (located in San Marino just a 40 minute drive way) with its Library, Art Museums and huge Botanical Garden. We enjoy all the themed gardens—the rose garden, herb garden, Japanese garden, Chinese garden and more—but our favorite is the desert garden with its plethora of cactus, succulents and other drought resistant plants. It is always our first stop as we make our way around the 207-acre grounds of the Huntington estate. Here are a few photos of the desert garden from a recent visit.

In one section of the garden, dozens of barrel cacti seem scattered like spiny bowling balls across the sandy soil. It is hard to resist taking photographs in the desert garden--close-ups that reveal the complex shapes of each species and broader views showing the wide range of colors and shapes of the plants.

 

In other parts of the garden the plants are tucked among chunks of volcanic rock that become hiding places for small lizards. After pausing for a few seconds for its picture to be taken, this lizard scampered away.

The range of colors in succulents is amazing--from yellow, orange and red, to multiple shades of green, blue and grey.

Some of the plants have delicate blooms. This past winter Southern California had record setting rains, which may explain some of the lushness of the desert garden on our visit.

These herbaceous plants known as "towers of jewels", have an other-worldly appearance, resembling spiny multi-colored spaceships. They are endemic to the Canary Islands.

Little cacti next to big cacti illustrate the range of sizes in the cactus world.

While cacti are armed with sharp spines, this succulent has a leaf-like covering and "arms" that end in delicate clusters of blooms. Alluaudia procera comes from Madagascar.

The branches of this white flowering floss silk tree is covered with white flowers. The bulging trunk is armed with sharp thorns.

Gravel paths wind through the desert garden providing visitors with close-up views..

Everywhere you look, there is something to marvel at--the variety of shapes and colors, the wonderful symmetry of nature, the repetition of patterns, the remarkable way that desert plants have adapted to the stresses of extreme heat and lack of water.. 

The Huntington Library, Art Museums, and Botanical Garden is a collections-based research and educational institution founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington. Henry Huntington was a businessman who built a financial empire in Southern California. The former residence of the Huntingtons is now the Art Gallery. You can see their portraits displayed near the entrance.

Visiting the Huntington

Tickets for visiting the Huntington can be purchased online, where you are asked to choose an entry time. Reservations are required for most days.  For prices and details check the Huntington website. The website also has a map and directions. Parking is free.

There are several places to eat at the Huntington ranging from cafes and a coffee shop to the Rose Garden Tea Room (for which you need reservations weeks in advance.) On our recent visit we ate lunch at the Jade Court Café where we enjoyed delicious Chinese food, sitting outdoors at a shaded table.

The Huntington also has an excellent gift shop, located near the entrance.

There is much to see at the Huntington. For an earlier post at The Intrepid Tourist about a visit to the Chinese Garden, click HERE.