Descanso Gardens - one of our favorite things!

     So, I realized a while ago that I haven't once mentioned one of J and my favorite places on this blog. How could this be? Well, I've been meaning to correct this huge oversight for a while now, but for some reason, I just haven't gotten around to it... until now!

     After moving to LA, J and I wanted to explore our new-ish surroundings, so we made an effort to check out as many hiking trails and gardens in the area as possible. That year saw us going to many memorable places, from hiking in Malibu, to visiting The Getty for the first time, and checking out the Huntington Gardens and Library. With all of this exploring further and further from home, we were surprised to learn that there was a large garden right in our metaphorical back yard!
     So, on one hot summer Saturday, we decided to take the short trip up 2N to La Canada Flintridge, where a 160 acre garden lays tucked away in a small residential community. The Descanso Gardens were once a part of the estate of one E. Manchester Boddy, who took great care to preserve the land and planted many of the plants still there today! As with most of the gardens in our area, there is a small fee at the gate. In the case of Descanso, it will cost about $8 (cheaper for kids, students, & seniors) to go for the day. At the end of our first visit, we decided we liked the place so much that we should get annual passes ($75 for both of us for the whole year)!
     When you enter the gates, and under a pergola covered in wisteria, there's the cafe patio on the left with small tables and chairs surrounded by the main building one one side and a small pond on the other. Beyond this, there is a small garden to the left, surrounded by trellises covered in crabapple. In the spring, the secluded grass garden is bright green, and the crabapples along with the two main trees are in full bloom. Small purple bulbs surround the garden, along with a few tulip and dogwood trees. On our most recent trip, they set up a stand of herbs and vegetables for an annual event called "Tomatomania".

      Following the main path to the right, you can either walk straight through the promenade, or into the rose garden on the right. In spring, the promenade is especially beautiful, with clumps of brightly colored tulips and daffodils. J and I usually choose to meander through the rose garden. In early spring, the garden becomes full and green, with roses starting to bud and bloom, and by mid-Summer, the roses are in full bloom. Several large tunnels of rose-covered arches meander around the garden, shading the path, smelling fragrant and sweet, creating a very romantic feeling.
      Elsewhere in the rose garden sit three huge domed trellises are completely covered in grape and hops vines. In the center of these structures sits a small lily pond, home to the occasional guppy and tadpole. Also, if you keep very quiet, you may get to see one of the garden's other small residents: rabbits.

     At the heart of the rose garden is the Rose Pavilion. This is one of the spots within the garden that you can rent for a wedding ceremony, and it's easy to see why. A wrought iron gazebo, covered in vines of white roses, sits in the center of the main lawn. The pavilion itself is a great wooden no-wall structure, perfect for sitting to rest a while amid the lush rose bushes and cherry trees.

     At the far side of the garden, after you've passed the rose pavilion and walked through the rose archways, a large fountain sits in front of a large curved bench beneath yet more rose-covered arbors. J and I usually find ourselves stopping to sit here beneath the shade of the vines, listening to the fountain and looking up past the trees and to the hazy blue mountains beyond.
     Near the exit of the rose garden sits a small structure raised on a hill overlooking a lake. This serves as a bird observation tower of sorts. Most of the birds found here are varieties of ducks and geese with the occasional egret or two. More commonly found here, are the turtles that like to sidle up on the bank to sun in the afternoons, and the large fish that can be seen lurking just below the surface.

     Up a small hill from this spot, are several small trails leading up to higher views surrounded by native plants. At the center of everything is a large oak forest: A large strip of green grass covers the ground throughout spring, making this the perfect place to sit. This area makes me wish it were possible to have picnics inside the gardens. It would be the ideal place to spread out a blanket and just lay beneath the canopy of giant oaks.

     One of J and my favorite place to sit and relax, is by the small pond near the oak forest - the one with the small waterfall. The pond is full to the brim of brightly colored fish (mostly koi), as well as ducks, and the occasional frog and turtle. Because of the critters, and also thanks to its central location, this is a favorite place of the children who come to the park. They love to come and look at the ducks and koi, and occasionally throw a pebble or two and watch the ripples. It's fun to watch, and it is definitely a reminder of what it is like to be a kid again.. to be so happy and amused by the littlest things.

     Surrounded by Japanese maples, azaleas, and camellias, sits the Japanese garden. A small "river" spans along the length of this garden, housing several bright yellow and orange koi, and reflecting the tea house. A traditional zen garden sits on the opposite side of the tea house, while a bright orange bridge spans the other side at the garden's exit. Unfortunately, the tea house only appears to be open during limited times and for special occasions, or else I know we would definitely spend more time there (J loves Japanese gardens - almost lost him in Huntington's).

     At the top of the hill above the gardens, sits the Boddy House. This house was once the private estate of the same Boddy who created the gardens, and while it has been updated and modernized, is still a beautiful old house. We got the chance to peek around inside the house and into Boddy's old office, which is filled with photographs and newspapers chronicling his life, as well as a bit of the garden's history. Across from the house sits a small art gallery, filled with works from local artists of the gardens.
     The camellia gardens are perhaps the most impressive (in my opinion) and most recognized within the garden. In fact, it "has been designated an International Camellia Garden of Excellence by the International Camellia Society" (didn't even know there was such a thing!). The garden is home to thousands of camellias of every shape and size, some of them quite rare. Many of these camelias are so old that they've grown into full trees, making this a true flowering forest. The brilliant thing, is that camellias bloom in winter (January&February are best), making Descanso a truly year-round garden. Each garden is on a slightly different blooms schedule, which means that the garden will look different upon almost every visit. And trust me, we go often enough to know!

    ...in fact, when we visited just a few weeks ago, the lilac garden was still just a speckling of green leaves atop gangly bushes. But, when we returned this past weekend, the garden was in full bloom, bursting with bright and pastel purple flowers clumped into clusters like grapes. Unfortunately for J, lilacs are extremely fragrant, and his nose started to itch, signaling it was time to leave.

      Descanso Gardens has a little something for everyone it would seem, it has hills and small scenic trails, ponds with turtles, fish, and frogs, and some of the most beautiful gardens around. No matter what time of the year you go, it seems to have something to offer. In summary, the Descanso Gardens is a beautiful (and usually tranquil) retreat, and a place that J and I have grown to love.