The striking Acca sellowiana (Pineapple Guava) greets visitors to the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
The Huntington Botanical Gardens: Beyond Beautiful
My recent visit to the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, far exceeded my high expectations! Every time I turned my head the beauty of the gardens astounded me.
Encompassing approximately 120 acres (49 hectares) of the 207-acre (84-hectare) grounds, the Huntington Botanical Gardens feature 15,000 plant varieties across 12 different feature gardens. While all the gardens are beautiful, the Desert Garden, Japanese Garden, and Chinese Garden were my favourites.
In addition to botanical gardens, the Huntington also includes a research library and art collections.
Desert Garden
The Huntington’s Desert Garden.
The beauty of the Desert Garden is especially striking in the spring. Whoever thinks that desert gardens are boring and unappealing, needs to see The Huntington. The plethora of forms, colours, textures, and fragrances delight the senses.
The garden contains more than 2,000 species of cacti and other succulents from around the world. In addition, drought tolerant plants such as Parkinsonia and Dyckia fosteriana feature prominently in the Desert Garden.
The nearly six-foot tall (1.8 metres) Agave mapisaga.
Echinocactus grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus).
The yellow spring flowers of Parkinsonia.
The orange flowers of Dyckia fosteriana, the spiny, stemless bromeliads resembling prickly succulents.
The Japanese Garden
The Bamboo Forest entrance to the Japanese Garden.
While Japanese gardens are commonplace in many botanical gardens around the world, the Huntington has created an exceptional one!
The garden comprises hillside paths that wind up and down a small valley. Lush green with splashes of colour, beautiful hardscapes and accents, and an extensive water feature welcome visitors to the garden. In fact, I was more captivated by the hardscaping and accents than by the plants themselves. Consequently, this section has many fewer photos of plants than the previous section.
The view across the lower Japanese Garden is beautiful.
A focal point of the garden is the wooden moon bridge that spans the large koi pond.
The Japanese moon bridge.
The Japanese bell house is situated on a hill overlooking the tranquil koi ponds.
The bell house.
The large koi pond is fed by a small stream with shallow waterfalls and is accented with Yukimi-doro lanterns.
The koi ponds.
A Yukimi-doro lantern.
Chinese Garden
I don’t know about you, but I seldom see Chinese gardens in Europe and North America. It’s a shame, especially when they’re as well done as the one at the Huntington. Also known as the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, the Chinese Garden is one of the largest Chinese-styled gardens outside of China. However, the garden is still under development and currently covers about 2 hectares (5 acres) of the planned 4.85-hectare site (12 acres).
The Jade Ribbon Bridge, which spans the garden’s lake, is a gorgeous focal point.
The Jade Ribbon Bridge.
The Chinese Garden’s Jade Ribbon Bridge and Pavilion of the Three Friends.
The Pavilion of the Three Friends is named for bamboo, pine, and plum, which are symbols of fortitude, integrity, and resilience. Carvings of the three “friends” encircle the ceiling of the pavilion.
The Pavilion of the Three Friends.
Because of plants like the sweet scented Chioanthus retusus, the garden lives up to its second name, the Garden of Flowing Fragrance.
Chioanthus retusus (Chinese Fringe Tree).
Just in case you get peckish while wandering the Chinese Garden, the Freshwater Dumpling and Noodle House, is a lovely place to satisfy your hunger.
The Chinese Garden’s dumpling and noodle house.
PLAN A VISIT
The Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
The Huntington Botanical Gardens Opening Hours:
Wednesday – Monday: 10am – 5pm (closed Tuesdays)
Consult the Huntington website for additional details and information on the Library, Art Collection, dining, and shop.
Tickets:
| Weekdays | Weekends | |
| Adults | $25 | $29 |
| Seniors (65+) | $21 | $24 |
| Students (12 – 18) | $21 | $24 |
| Youth (4 – 11) | $13 | $13 |
| Children (under 4) | Free | Free |
Getting There:
The Huntington is located near Pasadena, California, in the city of San Marino, 12 miles northeast of central Los Angeles. There are two entrance gates to the Huntington: at Allen Avenue, just south of California Boulevard, and on Oxford Road. Ample parking is available.
Interested in other botanical gardens in the Los Angeles area? Check out The Lab’s review of the Lotusland.
Interested in Global Garden Lab’s other inspiration gardens? Check out our Map of Inspiration Gardens.
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