Souther California's garden greenbelt

Sunset, March, 1996 by Jim McCausland

Tour the public gardens and retail nurseries at the base of the San Gabriels

In August 1769, Father Juan Crespi wrote about his travels over the sloping plain between present-day Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains:

After crossing the [Los Angeles] river we entered a large vineyard of wild grapes and an infinity of rosebushes in full bloom. All the soil is black and loamy, and is capable of producing every kind of grain and fruit which may be planted.

Crespi's report helped to persuade his Franciscan brothers to build two missions on the rich alluvium that washed down out of the San Gabriels. Indeed, the soil proved more than capable, and the Franciscans shared their horticultural know-how as freely as they spread the gospel. A trapper named John Wolfskill got seeds and cuttings at the Mission San Gabriel in the 1830s. He went on to start California's first commercial orange grove. Around the same time, Don Hugo Reid drew on the same source to get his orange groves growing - his 13,500-acre Rancho Santa Anita was once the garden spot of the San Gabriel Valley.

Today, much of the land between Sun Valley and Claremont has been covered by suburbs. But many of Southern California's most important horticultural enterprises still flower in the shadow of the San Gabriels.

PUBLIC GARDENS

THEODORE PAYNE FOUNDATION. The foundation is named for an Englishman who almost single-handedly sowed an appreciation for native plants (especially wildflowers) in Southern California gardeners.

Theodore Payne, who began his career here in 1893, published his first native-wild-flower catalog in 1906. Today, the site that bears his name is home to 2-acre Wildflower Hill and a retail nursery that specializes, of course, in native plants.

The foundation is at 10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley. For hours and directions, and for dates of upcoming docent-led wildflower hikes, call (818) 768-1802. To reach the foundation's wildflower hotline, call (818) 768-3533.

DESCANSO GARDENS. When an ancient chaparral fire cleared the valley west of what is now La Canada Flintridge, coast live oak moved in and became the dominant overstory tree. The acid leaves had been decomposing into duff for more than 150 years when publisher Manchester Boddy realized that the conditions were perfect for camellias.

Boddy started planting camellias in the 1940s. Within 20 years he had the largest camellia collection in the world.

Today, people visit Descanso to view the 100,000 camellias that remain, to marvel at the 60,000 or so spring tulips and bulbs (probably the best spring show in all of Southern California), and to tour the recently redesigned International Rosarium, one of the largest rose collections in the state.

Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cafiada Flintridge. It's open 9 to 4:30 daily. Admission costs $5, $3 students and ages 62 and over, $1 ages 5 through 12. For more information, call (818) 952-4401.

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTIONS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS. The San Marino Ranch was already covered with citrus trees and grapevines when railroad tycoon Henry Huntington bought it in 1903. The crops were doing so well that Huntington wondered how far he could push Southern California's horticultural envelope.

Very far, it turns out. First there were the heated lily ponds, in which enormous lilies flowered every winter; then came the Palm Garden, the Rose Garden, the Shakespeare Garden, and the Japanese Garden. Anything seemed possible.

After Huntington passed his estate into the public domain, in 1928, horticultural development continued. This place even has a Parking Lot Garden, and it's pretty impressive.

The Huntington is at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. It's open Tuesdays through Sundays; hours vary. Admission costs $7.50, $6 ages 65 and over, $4 students 13 and over. For more information, call (818) 405-2141.

ARBORETUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. Lucky Baldwin made his fortune in mining. He could have lived anywhere in the world, thanks to his wealth, but he settled in what was left of Hugo Reid's ranch in Arcadia. Today, his former estate forms the backbone of the arboretum.

When you visit, be sure to see the cycads, which grow near the jungle where early Tarzan movies were filmed.

The arboretum is at 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia. It's open 9 to 4:30 daily. Admission costs $5, $3 students and ages 62 and over, $1 ages 5 through 12. For more information, call (818) 821-3222.

RANCHO SANTA ANA BOTANIC GARDEN. This native-plant garden was started along the Santa Ana River by rancher Susanna Bixby Bryant, with design and planting help from Theodore Payne. But Philip Munz, the garden's first director, wanted the collection to be useful to university students, so he moved it to Claremont, where it became allied with Claremont Graduate School.

The best collection of California native plants is here. This month and next you'll want to visit for the wildflowers. Wildflower walks start at 2 Saturdays and Sundays from March 16 through May 19.

Rancho Santa Ana is at 1500 N. College Avenue, Claremont. It's open 8 to 5 daily. For more information, call (909) 626-1917.