DESCANSO GARDENS, La Canada Flintridge, CA: Something in Bloom at Every Time of Year

Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge, CA

Recently, when June Gloom brought day after day of cloudy weather to the California coast, we headed inland to get some sun. Our destination: Descanso Gardens, tucked in the hills of La Canada Flintridge, California, just a few miles from downtown Los Angeles. It was the perfect escape into nature from surrounding city life. Its many trails go through cultivated gardens and Southern California’s natural landscape. 

Climbing roses.

Famous for its camellias and tulips in the spring, Descanso Gardens has something new in bloom at every time of year. During our visit in June, the roses were in full bloom, as were the early summer garden flowers and wildflowers on the hillside.

Succulent in bloom.

After purchasing our tickets, we headed down the main promenade, past the seasonal plantings, before deciding which path to take.

Roses.

The gardens include a network of paths ranging from paved walkways to more secluded trails. Using a map we picked up at the entrance to guide our way, we made a circular tour of the gardens, starting with the promenade and roses, then walking around the lake to the oak woodland and California garden, then through the camellia forest and Japanese garden before returning to the entrance.

View of San Gabriel Mountains.

We made our way uphill to the California garden and got a view of the valley and the mountains beyond. 

Giant chalk dudlea.

Along the path we discovered California's only native succulent, Dudleya, and some of its relatives. 

Lizard.

As we walked along we kept an eye out for wildlife that makes the garden its home. An addition to birds, we spotted a ground squirrel, turtle, a mother mallard with her offspring, and a lizard that popped up on top of a fence, performed several pushups, and then scampered away.

Koi in the Japanese Tea Garden.

Throughout the gardens there are numerous benches and shelters inviting one to sit and enjoy the scenery. 

Poppies.

A visit to the garden is always an opportunity for photography, especially close-ups.

So many plants. So little time. We missed seeing the hilltop gardens and Ancient Forest. We’ll have to go back another day.

 For information about visiting Descanso Gardens, go to their website.

MORCOM ROSE GARDEN, Oakland, CA: A Refreshing Retreat

Oakland Municipal rose Garden, Oakland, CA

Tucked into a wooded glen in a residential neighborhood of Oakland, California, the Morcom Rose Garden is a refreshing retreat.  Built in the 1932 as a project of the WPA (Works Progress Administration), it features formal gardens, a pool and fountain, winding paths, and a walkway honoring the Mother of the Year.  (The ceremony is held each year on Mother’s Day and honors a woman who has contributed to the community.)

On a recent visit to Oakland, I visited the garden, a welcome escape from staying at home during the pandemic. It was midsummer, and everything was in bloom.

As I wandered among the flowers, I felt like I had traveled back in time, when life moved at a slower pace.  Indeed, the garden appears used mainly by local residents.  I saw people walking dogs and babies, sitting on benches drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, or just strolling along the flower beds. (Because of the pandemic, all wearing masks.)  It was calm and peaceful, hidden from the noise of the surrounding city. 

The garden is dedicated to Fred Morcom, Mayor of Oakland 1931-1933, during which time the Rose Garden was conceived and created.

A large rock near the entrance to the garden, erected on the garden's 20th anniversary, has a plaque honoring Fred Morcom and is inscribed with the following poem.
Roses are beauty but I never see
Those blood drops from the burning heart of June
Glowing like thought upon the living tree
Without a pity that they die so soon.
                 John Masefield 

The garden is maintained by the Friends of the Morcom Rose Garden.  At their Facebook site you can see photos of hundreds of gorgeous roses and activities in the garden.
The main entrance to the Rose Garden is located at 700 Jean St., Oakland, CA 94610, two short blocks from Grand Avenue.

UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley: A Plant Lover's Paradise

Oak Knoll in the California Section

Research and Conservation
Nestled in the Berkeley hills, just above the Cal campus, more than 13,000 different species of plants on 34 acres grow in the University of California Botanical Garden, a scientific collection of plants from around the world and a wonderful place to spend the morning or afternoon.  I recently went there for the first time.  The garden is a living museum, created as a research garden but open to the public.

Old Rose Garden with view of Berkeley and San Francisco Bay

A network of paths takes you through the garden, which is arranged according to the plants’ geographic origin. These include Mediterranean, South America, Mexico/Central America, Eastern North America, Australasia, Asia, Southern Africa, New World Desert, and California. The garden’s website cautions visitors that it is virtually impossible to see everything on one visit.  It says that to see every plant in one two-hour visit, one would have to see one hundred different plants a minute!

Edible Plants
One of my favorites parts of the garden was the section on crops of the world.  In one corner was the “Three Sisters Garden” so-called by Native Americans referring to the interplanting of beans, corn, and squash.  The beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which feeds the corn so it will be tall and healthy.  The corn provides a structure for the beans to climb on.  The squash plants provide ground cover to keep the soil moist and free of weeds.  Recent studies have shown that this method produces higher yields than the typical planting of a single crop (monoculture).

Tomatillos in the World Crops Section

Changes With the Seasons
Every season has its highlights, making the garden a worthwhile visit at any time of year.  We visited the garden in August, when late summer flowers were blooming, while earlier blooming varieties were reaching maturity.  In the garden of old roses, bushes were lush with old-fashioned varieties.  It was a warm afternoon, but paths through shady groves and along ponds and streams provided welcome places to stop and rest.

Japanese Pool in the Asia Section

The garden is also a haven for wildlife.  As we meandered through the various zones, lizards skittered across the path, hummingbirds hovered over the flowers, and bees and butterflies were abundant. Throughout the garden, helpful signs identify plants, sometimes with additional information.  But, even if you don’t want to know the plants’ names, you can enjoy them for their natural beauty.  It’s better not to try to see one hundred plants a minute, but to enjoy a few at a time.  I plan to go back in several months and explore some new paths and see what is growing at a different time of year.

Directions:  The garden is located at 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720 (midway between the UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium and the Lawrence Hall of Science.) Phone:  510-643-2755. For directions and more information, go to the garden's website. 
Tours: Docent tours of the garden are offered at 1:30 on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Smelling the Roses in the Old Rose Garden