Descanso Gardens #6

Just wanted to share some of the areas of Descanso Gardens and maybe you'll see why I enjoy it so much. It's not just the flowers and the treasure trove of things to photograph. It's just a beautiful place. This is my longest picture post yet but I sure hope you enjoy the pics. I kept it as brief as possible (smile). Please click on any picture for a larger and much better view.

This one is just after you walk through the gates past the gift shop and cafe. If you look to the right you may see a path that leads to the rose garden.


This is the rose garden. What I like about it is that they have a wide variety of other flowers in the garden as well.




This is just one of the fountains and one of the running brooks. On the other side of the fountain area and across from the birdwatching station and small lake is a garden of beautiful day lilies.




To the right of these pictures, which you can't see through the trees is the main road/path leading back to the front of the Gardens. If you look closely you can see the stream or brook that is as long as the length of the road with a few bridges that cross from the main road into the Camelia forest which is on the right of these pictures.




Just past the birdwatching station that overlooks the small green lake, is a small forest area that leads to this waterfall. You can sit there or walk down along side it back to the paved road which leads you to the koi pond, another place you can sit.




These are a couple of shots walking through the Camelia Forest. You can take the paved roads or the dirt paths to walk directly among the shade and quiet of the trees.




And just when you think there are nothing but trees you wander upon a small area of day lilies by a small waterfall or this fountain below, smack-dab in the middle of the forest with a bench nearby. I walked up on a couple smooching on a bench and I resisted the temptation to take a picture. :-)

Descanso Gardens

I've been trying to find and visit every arboretum and botanical garden in the surrounding areas. The last one I visited was Descanso Gardens. Of the ones I've visited so far, I like this one the best probably because most of it is really set up like someones massive garden. What I also like is that it just seems to continuously flow. There aren't any long treks between garden areas and there is always something to stop to look at. Many of the other gardens have long treks past massive lawns or walks down long roads before you get to the next garden. This place always gave you something to look at or a place to stop and admire a fountain or stream or the Koi in it.

Everything is beautifully set from the moment you walk in and there is water everywhere whether it is in a fountain, a waterfall or a stream that runs along the entire south side of the park (I think it's south), with bridges that cross over it.

I've never seen so many Koi in my life and they are everywhere even in parts of the stream and in the pond in the Japanese garden.

Outside the core of the Descanso Gardens is a 20-acre Camellia Forest where you can walk the paved paths or venture on the dirt paths under the shade of the trees. Even inside the forest you'll find an occasional rest spot with a pond, quiet bench, large boulders to sit on, or a fountain.


With all of the trees, running streams, fountains and waterfalls, you don't even feel the hot weather outside. I didn't even mind the big spider web I didn't see and walked right into when I ventured off the paved path. I don't know if it was as big as the one below but it sure felt like it. Eeeeewww!


And the flowers! Oh, my goodness the flowers. There were so many. I can't wait until Spring when everything that is not in bloom now will be in bloom then. I'll be posting may of the different photos I took of the flowers and bees. There were plenty of every kind of bee you can imagine both big and small (smile).

I'll be back. I've captured the fish, the dragon flies, the bees, flowers and one bird. I'm still hoping to see some of the over 200 birds they've cataloged as visiting. Oh, and did I mention the miniature train ride you can take through the gardens? How cute is that?

The Rose Garden

I found another botanical garden at the University of Riverside here in Southern Cal. I kind of went crazy taking pics in the rose garden. It was beautiful, at least to me, and the aroma! Yumm! I took so many that I thought I would just post a couple of my faves and then show the other in a slide show for any of rose lovers to enjoy.

ARBORETUM FAVORITES