Comments on: Another Mecca – The Huntington

By: [ Lost in the Landscape ] » the huntington desert garden

[ Lost in the Landscape ] » the huntington desert garden — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:36:50 +0000

[...] (There’s an extremely similar shot of the exact same plant on the Germanatrix’s post on her visit to this same garden at the end of November. Check it out: here.) [...]

By: Anarchy in the Garden

Anarchy in the Garden — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:01:59 +0000

Thank you for lovingly writing about these often snubbed plants. I am mad about my own succulents and cacti however mine do not come near your extensive collection.

Keep spreading the good word!

-Adriana

By: lostlandscape (James)

lostlandscape (James) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:10:12 +0000

I grew up within a few miles of the Huntington and took many amazing trips there–Thanks for the reminder! It’s been too many years since I was there last, and now they have a new museum wing and a Chinese garden that I’ve never seen. I like your idea of a monster garden. Throw in some carnivorous plants and you’ll have a stunning B-movie set.

By: Alice Joyce

Alice Joyce — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:44:23 +0000

Germi dear Germi,
Oh.. oh…oh, I’m blissed out.
You’ve pictured in myriad.. glorious..eye-popping detail & miraculous botanical beauty one of my very favorite places on earth (as far as I’ve managed to trek!).
And so, despite my inability to make it back to the Huntington on my recent trip, you read my mind!!!! Providing me with a perfectly presented tour that’s the closest thing to my having strolled the paths of this cactus/succulent garden in San Marino.
Do have a lovely Turkey day,
tendril

By: JCharlier

JCharlier — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:17:41 +0000

Hey, I remember watching Sigmund the Sea Monster as a kid. I’m guessing we’re about the same young age…

By: Summer

Summer — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:47:44 +0000

It’s called a bedroom community because there’s nothing to do there but sleep; people work downtown and If it has a garden like this, I’d say it’s a bit beyond a bedroom community. In any case, a wonderful virtual tour!

A bunch of friends and I got into a hot debate (in more ways than one) about whether or not Mamillarias really looked like breasts, you know, with all the spines. My last word was, well, you can look but you can’t touch!

By: germinatrix

germinatrix — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:57:10 +0000

Loree! I wish I could go to the Lotusland Extravaganza – but like everything these days – I have a prior commitment that reads “Mexico”! I will take ANY reason to go to Lotusland, and an EXTRAVAGANZA – I’m there! BTW – LOVED your Lotusland post! We should figure out a way to do a Lotusland blog post round up – I love reading everyone’s unique take on the fabulous place!
I knew you’d love the Huntington as much as I do … it is so awesome, but in a very different way than Lotusland. LL has such a tight, specific point of view, and the Huntington is just generosity hort-style. I love both. I learn so much visiting both places, but seeing the sheer variety of succulents at the Huntington is an amazing treat. I can’t WAIT for your post!!!
oh – and about my header cartoon – yes, that’s my drawing! I used to do a ‘comic strip’ for the newsletter I did for my garden club … I called it ‘Petallica’. It was all plants back talking and acting crazy … I keep wanting to resurrect it – maybe I have to do a Petallica post for the holidays!

Pam! It’s so true – digging up a big agave is pure love and dedication, which is why I always think of A. ovatifolias as ‘Pam’s Agaves’! How could I NOT mention you when I saw that gorgeous specimen at the Huntington? You will LOVE it there – it is MADE for us!

I swear, ESP -we have a thread that connects our brains. You always mention my favorite things! This week alone – “A Company of Wolves” on your blog and now Anthony Bourdain! The mention of his name is forbidden in my house because I swoon and giggle and blush and my husband rolls his eyes and is over it all. Bourdain is my ‘big crush’ (were I a seventeen year old girl, which I secretly think I am…)
Yes! The Huntington is SCRUMPTIOUS! So much to see, such a wonderland! And the barrel cactus are out of control … you would be in heaven! And I know how nerve wracking it is to put something tender into ground that freezes once a decade or so – what an infernal tease! Just when we think its okay to plant whatever we want – a FREEZE!!! It happened to me 4 years ago and I lost so many beauties. But I feel myself relaxing… as far as the almanac goes, I have 15 years until the next big LA freeze … I am crossing my fingers for you! But don’t get rid of your plant blankies! Just in case!
And having YOU like my pictures! HIGH PRAISE! Because you and Pam are my garden photo gurus, you know.
And, considering my fondness for the nectar of the agave (meaning tequila, not that honey-replacement stuff), I shall plant all cleistocactus in a spot far from where I do my nighttime wanderings. Or I WILL be impaled. Exactly as you describe!
Until next!

Yes, Janie, you MUST visit this garden, and take DH with you – that way HE can buy the specimens they have for sale and think he got them for himself. Tricky tricky…

Eden! A giant pile of succulent BOOBIES! You are TOO much … I vote you purveyor of Hort Smut, Jr. (Myself being Hort Smut, Sr.!)
I have to say, I have Bay Area dreams – the things you all can plant makes my head spin! It’s that curly hair vs. straight hair thing – it’s just wistfulness for what we don’t have. We both live in GREAT climates! I am so glad you liked the Huntington visit – it was fun to do…
XO!

By: Urban Eden

Urban Eden — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:52:03 +0000

Lucky indeed… makes the succulent section at Strybing up here in SF seem downright puny (cuz it is…). Seeing as how I had to drag my non-planty friend to the Huntington with me the one time I managed to make it there, I had to make it less-geeky-more-fun for her. What better way to do that than to point to the Mammilarias, looking for all the world like a giant pile of BOOBIES, and tell her that they’re called Mammilarias! I’d give my left Mammilaria to live closer to there… :>

It does make me a little nostalgic for So Cal climes where succulents can grow to the scale that they have there, but then I think of all the Proteaceous stuff we can grow so well up here and it makes it a bit better!

Thanks for the Germi-centric tour!

By: Janie

Janie — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:06:06 +0000

Oh, LORD! Another place I must visit before I die!

I love succulents, like you. It started with DH wanting a cactus garden, and I would bring specimens home. Soon, they were MINE, mine, mine, and I had a fine collection of succulents. I do allow him to think it is his cactus garden, but really…..

He does own the pepper garden, after all. Well, except for the chili pequins in my fairy garden.

I will visit this garden. I will!

By: ESP

ESP — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:20:56 +0000

Ouch! Ouch! and Ouch!… And in the words of Anthony Bourdain “I am hungry for more”!

This place is amazing! I had a meal a few years back at the Plantation Gardens restaurant in Poipu, on Kauai which had some really old, old cacti specimens…they were like buildings, you could walk inside them! Huntington looks like a similar place on a much grander scale!

That first shot makes me want at least another 50 barrel cacti, but wait I need to hold back. We have not had a real bad winter for a while in Central Texas…I have a bad feeling it is on it’s frosty way. This year was the first year I have had my barrels planted directly in the ground…fingers crossed, they are in for a tough, non-covering time…(I gave up on blankets and sheets some time ago).

What great pictures you took of this place…the Cleistocactus, samaipatanus looks like a blooming coral reef! Yes, you would not want to have “one-too-many” and find yourself blindly stumbling around this area of the garden. You would probably just give up trying to escape and fall asleep all hung up in it like a puppet. (Deal with getting out of this in the morning syndrome). I agree watch where you plant them!

Yes Germi! (rubs crystal ball) A monster garden…it is in your near destiny…I can sense it!

Enjoyed the visit through your eyes.
ESP.