Huntington Visit March 2017

 You could see what the rain had done--the Huntington looked particularly beautiful:  renewed after five years of drought.  

Echium candicans (fastuosum)* planted last year in the Entry Garden is now looking glorious.

* "This plant was long called Echium fastuosum but more recently Echium candicans has been determined to be the correct name - unfortunate as the name 'candicans' means "white" while 'fastuosum' means "proud". "  -- San Marcos Nursery website

 I'd be proud too if I was that good looking.

 We saw the Echiums at their best. 

 Also in the Entry Garden a new potted plant--Leucospermum 'Goldfinger'...

...the Rill Garden looked different yet again--the plantings change constantly...

 ...a Mallard down at the bottom of the rill looked annoyed at being woken.  Still on Standard Time, I guess.

 There was a new replacement Aloe barbarae for one that had been removed.  It was ludicrously small in comparison to the one that had been removed due to rot and age.  To the right you can see a bit of a mature one--this is what that skinny little thing could become!

 In the Desert Garden, this finch looked a little grumpy, too.

 Mockingbird on Aloe rupestris

The Mockingbird was either drinking dew or nectar or a mix of both from the Aloe.  We could see it lapping up liquid from the flower cluster.  The bird has pollen on its chin.

 Palms and Beaucarnea and Opuntia and Agave and Golden Barrel cactus and Senecio mandraliscae...

 The rain really made a difference for the Palms.

 Heavy bloom on the Acacia. 

 Many Aloes still blooming.  The conical towers of Aeonium flowers add splashes of yellow. 

 

 As I recall this was a Butia hybrid.  It looked so happy from all of our winter rain.  The foliage looks great, doesn't it? 

 Aloe camperi, maybe. 

 Goldfinch on Aloe africana:

 Aloe rupestris again

 Squirrels were eating Aloe seed pods. 

 There was a Clivia Show at the Botanical Center but we didn't make it there.  The Clivia showing off in the garden itself were impressive enough. 

 Oooh, variegated foliage!

 We were a week or two late for Peak Camellia--it was quite hot all of last week, and it showed in the Camellia flowers.  This bloom of 'Harold L. Paige', however, was still perfection. 

The Australian Garden highlight was Eucalyptus grossa.  Striking large flowers:

 In the adjacent Subtropical area, Handroanthus impetiginosus, Pink Tabebuia, over 30 feet tall, was at its perfect moment.

 The Hippeastrum papilo was blooming here also.  The rain, the rain did it!

 The Shakespeare Garden looked as good.  Green, so green.  

 As we left we walked by the Visitor Center dome, where Beaumontia grandiflora was flowering.  

 Rain is magic!