Skip to main content
How's The New Huntington Entrance Garden Growing?
A perfectly glorious day Thursday, the sort of normal Southern California autumn day I treasure--dry, warm, not hot, the sun razor-edging every plant with golden light.
Is it me, or is Aloe barberae mooning someone?
Sunlight meets Kalanchoe
A mass of grasses, a few months ago almost invisible tufts, have grown into luxurious rivers of texture.
And even a Eucalyptus 'Moon Lagoon', spotted in the deer grass clumps. It's low and quite wide, so far, at nearly 5' wide and mid-thigh height.
The focal rill beds have had problems, according to the speaker I went to hear; this whole section has been replanted again.
I have these two plants and want to Try This At Home--'Electric Flash' Cordyline and Kalanchoe orgyalis
The huge collection of Cycads donated recently to the Huntington are now appearing, hundreds of them. The large lawn to the east of the entrance rill has reduced, the new space filled with cycads, Aloes, Agaves, Yuccas.
Mangaves forming a pool of blue in a shady spot.
This was plain lawn...
...and this was, too.
A new set of leaves emerging from an Encephalartos--lovely to see that.
More former lawn. When the cycads settle in and the Yucca rostratas grow trunks--ooh!
How's the new garden growing? Fast, and well.
Sigh, so beautiful...maybe in my retirement I can move close enough to visit often.
ReplyDeleteSaw some people in farmer hats, packing Felcos. Can you imagine getting paid to be there playing with plants? The mind boggles.
DeleteSo beautiful and inspiring! I can't wait to see it in person. I'm planning on visiting the Huntington on Saturday, January 2. Would you be interested in meeting up?
ReplyDeleteYes, would be great to meet up with you!
DeleteWhat's the nature of the problems the rill beds have had? Human (visitor) interference? Soil? I love that rill -- in fact, just about every rill I've ever seen. It does put a lot of visual pressure on the things growing alongside.
ReplyDeleteWhose cycad collection was donated? Their transport, reception, and handling by the Huntington staff must make for quite a story.
The speaker mentioned pests of some sort, and then didn't go into detail. So, not sure. They'll get it right eventually.
DeleteRe: the cycads, see: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/5151#b
Thanks so much for that link. It's a rare event when a world class collection goes to a garden capable of doing right by it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful thing. :)
DeleteI vaguely remember an interview a garden show host conducted with Loran Whitelock (when there were garden shows on TV). I can't think of a better home for his collection than the Huntington.
ReplyDeleteAh, the olden days when there were garden TV shows. Long, long ago.
DeleteThe Huntington appears to be treating the cycads as the treasures they are. That was heartening.
Dear Hoover, the gardens look wonderful, I love the grasses and the Cycads, the great colours in Cordyline "Electric Flash'. The Eucalyptus 'Moon Lagoon' looks lovely, a good size for a backyard.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
Happy you enjoyed the post. Thanks!
DeleteGreat photos -- wish I'd been there Thursday for the talk and sale. And thanks for the link to palmbob's wonderful post. Can't wait to see the Huntington's new cycads!
ReplyDeletePretty good talk, not a huge amount of plants available but there were some good ones. The weather was the breathtaking bit.
DeleteThere are a whole huge new planting of cycads in front of the mansion. They made a big strip of them just below the house where there was lawn, and left a strip of lawn, and then another big long bed for more cycads. More to come, too.
The rill is so spectacular...I do hope the new plantings succeed and do it justice.
ReplyDelete