 Gypsy, Prism and Kinsey | Having visited Lotusland around this time last year for the lotus bloom, I was excited that neut'as Gypsy and Kinsey were able to join me in exploring this 37-acre former estate of Ganna Walska (1887-1984), a Polish opera singer and socialite. Considered among the top 10 botanical gardens in the world, it is recognized both for the diversity of its plant collections as well as for the its many garden landscape designs. For more information about Ganna Walska, refer to the 2024 blog post. |
| Lotusland has 22 distinct gardens and more than 3,700 types of plants with at least 35,000 individual specimens. Her maximalist ethos, typified by profuse groupings of single specimens and the assemblage of massive varieties of plant family. JAPANESE GARDEN We immediately headed down the path to the 1-1/2 acre Japanese Garden, which is the largest of the themed gardens. It was designed with balance and peace in mind, and is artfully pruned by master gardeners and volunteers all trained in the pruning techniques passed down by legendary Japanese gardeners. Frank Fujii designed the garden to reflect the Edo era-style of strolling garden, that includes the technique of shakkei, where the illusion of space is manipulated to capture a distant view and make it an integral part of the immediate landscape. |  |
Cedars, pines and other conifers reinforce an Eastern sensibility. Akebono cherry trees and Chinese fringe trees add texture and color that evolves throughout the year.
An inveterate collector in all areas of lilfe, Madame Walska amassed a collection of more than 30 Japanese stone lanterns (ishi-doro), which are placed artistically throughout the garden. The present garden is the result of a multi-year renovation that incorporates some of Walska and Fujii's original plans that were previously not fully executed.
An inveterate collector in all areas of lilfe, Madame Walska amassed a collection of more than 30 Japanese stone lanterns (ishi-doro), which are placed artistically throughout the garden. The present garden is the result of a multi-year renovation that incorporates some of Walska and Fujii's original plans that were previously not fully executed.
THE WATER GARDEN
After meandering along the various circuitous paths within the Japanese Garden, we headed to our primary destination — the Water Garden. American architect George Washington Smith designed this portion of estate for the Gavit family, in the 1920s, as a bathhouse and rectangular swimming pool flanked by two waterlily ponds. After purchasing the estate, Ganna Walska decided to fill in the pool with soil and gravel, rather than repairing its leaks, raising its water level to 3' depth and planting a wide variety of aquatic plants including the iconic lotus plants, which symbolize beauty, purity and knowledge.
DUNLAP CACTUS GARDEN
We wind our way through the Blue and Lower Bromeliad Gardens on our way to the Dunlap Cactus Garden. Though nearly two decades after Madame Walska's passing, it is considered her final opus.
The story begins in 1966 with inveterate collector Merritt Dunlap of San Diego County (CA) sending Madame Walska a letter stating he wished to bequeath his cactus collection to Lotusland. At that time, he had been amassing his collection over 37 years. In 1999 — 15 years after Ganna Walska's passing — Dunlap changed his bequest to a donation. Semi-truckload after truckload of cactus were moved to Lotusland in 2001. Meanwhile, landscape architect Eric Nagelmann was hired to spearhead the garden's design, orientation and layout to mirror that of Dunlap's.
The Dunlap Cactus Garden is designed around a geographical theme. Most all of the cactus species originate in the Americas, except for one western Africa species.
The story begins in 1966 with inveterate collector Merritt Dunlap of San Diego County (CA) sending Madame Walska a letter stating he wished to bequeath his cactus collection to Lotusland. At that time, he had been amassing his collection over 37 years. In 1999 — 15 years after Ganna Walska's passing — Dunlap changed his bequest to a donation. Semi-truckload after truckload of cactus were moved to Lotusland in 2001. Meanwhile, landscape architect Eric Nagelmann was hired to spearhead the garden's design, orientation and layout to mirror that of Dunlap's.
The Dunlap Cactus Garden is designed around a geographical theme. Most all of the cactus species originate in the Americas, except for one western Africa species.
OLIVE ALEE, ORCHARDS + INSECTARY GARDEN
Walking up Olive Alée and past the orchards, we head to the Insectary Garden, which is one of the Lotusland's workhorses, and a driving forece behind its sustainable horticulture program. Lotusland is recognized as one of the first botanic gardens in the U.S. to use environmentally responsible gardening practices, and its Insectary Garden serves as a living laboratory teaching the importance of companion planing, attracting insects and pollinators. This garden was designed by Eric Nagelmann and Lotusland's former plant health coordinator Corey Welles.
 Olive Alée |  One of the many gorgeous flowering plants in the Insectary Garden |
FERN GARDEN + DRAGON TREES
Fern forests are one of my most favorite natural environments. I first fell in love with them back in 2007 when my late partner-in-adventure Montana Ranger Rick and I began traveling annually to New Zealand.
The first ferns at Lotusland, were first planted by the property's orginal owner Ralph Kinton Stevens, after an expedition to Hawaii in 1891 to bring back specimens for Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Unlike most plants, ferns don't flower or produce fruit, and like unrelated mushrooms, they produce spores on the underside of their fronds to propagate. The Fern Garden at Lotusland was designed and created in 1969-72 by fern and bromeliad expert Bill Paylen. Interspersed in the landscape of this garden are redwoods and oaks. The fern forest was doubled in size in 1987 ... because you can't have a big enough fern forest!
[For lots more photos, check out the 2024 visit to Lotusland.]
The first ferns at Lotusland, were first planted by the property's orginal owner Ralph Kinton Stevens, after an expedition to Hawaii in 1891 to bring back specimens for Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Unlike most plants, ferns don't flower or produce fruit, and like unrelated mushrooms, they produce spores on the underside of their fronds to propagate. The Fern Garden at Lotusland was designed and created in 1969-72 by fern and bromeliad expert Bill Paylen. Interspersed in the landscape of this garden are redwoods and oaks. The fern forest was doubled in size in 1987 ... because you can't have a big enough fern forest!
[For lots more photos, check out the 2024 visit to Lotusland.]
 |  |
Across from Madame Walska's residence is Dracaena Circle, filled with fantastical dragon trees, which is native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Madeira and a stand in western Morocco. These Blood-red sap trees, ooze when the bark is cut or bruised. A member of the asparagus family, it has a distinctive growth pattern that is quite wonderful. They typically grow for 10-15 years before flowering and then develop two or more branches where the flowering occurred.
 |  |
PALMETUM + EUPHORBIAS
Walking back towards the Water Garden, we pass the Palmetum, which includes over 60 different types of palms — throughout Lotusland are over 500 mature palms! This is one of Lotusland's newest gardens and was designed by Eric Nagelmann and completed in 2017.
Fun Fact: Though an iconic feature in southern and central California, there is only one species nature to the state ... California Fan Palm.
Fun Fact: Though an iconic feature in southern and central California, there is only one species nature to the state ... California Fan Palm.
Just beyond the Palmetum are Euphorbias, which is a diverse genus of plants with more than 2,000 varieties ranging from tiny succulents to tall trees.
 |  |
CYCAD GARDEN
As time is running out, we head to my beloved Cycad Garden. These prehistoric, cone-bearing plants are one of the most htreatened plant group on the planet due to over-collecting, deforestation, agricultural clearing, and urban sprawl.
Lotusland's Cycad Garden was designed by Charles Glass, a renowned plantsman, who told Madame Walska, "This will be one of the greatest achievements of our lives." He wasn't exaggerating ... Lotusland includes five species that are believed to be extinct in the wild, and this collection is considered one of the most complete in any American public garden with over 450 specimens and almost half of the known species!
[For lots more photos, check out the 2024 visit to Lotusland.]
Lotusland's Cycad Garden was designed by Charles Glass, a renowned plantsman, who told Madame Walska, "This will be one of the greatest achievements of our lives." He wasn't exaggerating ... Lotusland includes five species that are believed to be extinct in the wild, and this collection is considered one of the most complete in any American public garden with over 450 specimens and almost half of the known species!
[For lots more photos, check out the 2024 visit to Lotusland.]
RSS Feed
