The first thing you will see at the Los Angeles County Arboretum are the peacocks. They’re everywhere. They’re fearless. And, as I observed, they don’t jaywalk. And while the novelty of the majestic birds never really wears off (mostly because one can never forget their existence, because no matter where you turn, there’s a damn peacock), the truly moving sights of the arboretum are, believe it or not, the flowers.
I had initially ventured to the arboretum on noble causes. The Los Angeles Mycological Society was holding a learning event, and since I am a fan of noble fungi, I decided to drive to Arcadia to hear all about wild mushrooms, and learn how to grow the sycophantic ingredients needed for a killer risotto. The LAMS presentation was about as thrilling as one could imagine. People who study molds and fungi are not exactly party-hearty folk (though the chef doing the risotto demonstration, Margaret Ferrazzi, was a pip), so I decided to explore the extensive grounds, with my trusty camera.
Cordoned off into climates, plants from every climate are represented. One begins slowly in the Africa and Australia section, dedicated to cacti and water-conserving plants. There is a citrus grove with Valencia oranges and lemons, and a glamorous waterfall. The section that caught my attention for close to an hour was the orchid greenhouse. Cohabiting with the carnivorous plants (I only saw pitcher plants) the orchids are delicate, fragrant, and more colorful than gemstones. There is even a large vanilla orchid, complete with beans.
Also alarmingly gorgeous? The magnolia trees, which stood upwards of fifteen feet tall, and were seasonable covered in bold blooms. The most perfect flowers on earth are right at eye-level, and stood as soft and luscious subjects for the camera.
The Arboretum is located at 301 N. Baldwin Ave in Arcadia. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Admission is $7 for adults. There is a cafe on the grounds, and only cash is accepted.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Emberly Modine // Feb 12, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Beautiful post - I am so all over those magnolias…
2 Spencer // Feb 12, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I love this place. On a beautiful day you can easily spend hours walking around and relaxing. All for 7 bucks too. Although the peacocks look tasty, I’m a fan of the grilled cheese sandwich at the “peacock cafe there” I think it’s the best $4 Grilled cheese I’ve had.
3 Marc // Feb 13, 2008 at 12:13 pm
My mother was a Docent at the Arboretum when I was a kid. My brother and I considered it an extension of our backyard, spending hours running about the grounds.
It was also where my first lesson in the scarcity of resources occurred. In response to my request to take a few pods from the Eucalyptus trees, my mom said no. When I protested she said that “if everyone took one, eventually there would be none left. These are to enjoy here.”
I have not been back in many years but it will always have a special place in my memory.
4 Nathan // Feb 13, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I’ve been looking for a relaxing spot to spend an afternoon outdoors . It sounds like the Arboretum will fit the bill perfectly.
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