Welcome, from the Desert Garden in the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.
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From the entrance strolling our way to the Chinese Garden, and then, BAM, CALDER, “Jerusalem Stabile” 1976
Jim’s picture. I love this picture! Jim, Lill, me, Rick
I googled around a little and can’t find why Mercury is standing, tippy-toe, on some guy’s mouth.
Here come several views around the Chinese Garden. I don’t know the percentage of normal tickets they are selling now but it is AWESOME that there are the perfect number of people. We were not once in any situation where Other people felt too close. Only the gardens are open but it’s always been that you run out of time and energy before you run out of things to see in the gardens.
(This one has the correct color profile. The problem is most apparent with people.)
From the Huntington website: “Liu Fang Yuan is inspired by the gardens of Suzhou, a city located near Shanghai in southeastern China. During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), wealthy scholars and merchants there built tasteful private gardens combining architecture, waterworks, rockeries, plants, and calligraphy…
…Many of the features in Liu Fang Yuan are modeled on specific Suzhou gardens, eight of which are depicted in the woodcarvings in the Love for the Lotus Pavilion (Ai Lian Xie 愛蓮榭).”
(Will I have the energy to fix them all?)
Into the Japanese Garden, from the Huntington website: “the Zen Court provides an example of the contained landscapes that once evolved in the temple gardens of Japan. Patterns raked into gravel, rock formations and shrubbery are used to symbolize water, space, movement and other abstract ideas.”
Oh golly this was fun! One of the guards in the Japanese Garden had trained these birds to come to his palm for a peanut treat. Ohhhh may I do that? Yesss you may. Having a bird land on your hand is magic. And FAST. He is there and gone in the blink of an eye, far faster than any one of us could get off a shot.
The iconic moon bridge in the Japanese Garden. In spring blooms will shower the garden with color and delights.
Who could resist these guys? Certainly not me.
Rick’s picture in the Desert Garden. William Hertrich began collecting for this garden in 1907. Wow, I really thought I remembered when there wasn’t the Desert Garden. Another thing about which I was wrongadidewrongwrong…
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The lily ponds are in fine reflecto mode but rather scarce on the lilies. From here we made fond farewells and Lill drove me home (thank you Lill!). As well as the few number of people, the dining option was very good too. There were ready-made sandwiches and salads to pick up and the outdoor tables were so safely laid out, we all felt very comfortable.
