On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Good Morning All,
On The Road and In Your Backyard is a weekday feature spotlighting reader submissions. From the exotic to the familiar, please share your part of the world, whether you’re traveling or just in your locality. Share some photos and a narrative, let us see through your pictures and words. We’re so lucky each and every day to see and appreciate the world around us!
Submissions from commenters are welcome at tools.balloon-juice.com
Have a wonderful day and weekend; enjoy the pictures!
Today, pictures from valued commenter ?BillinGlendaleCA.
The Desert Blooms
Occasionally after I go out and shoot, I’ll post links to a picture or two in the comments on a Open Thread. I did this last week after shooting at The Huntington. There was a request to see more, so here they are.
The Desert Garden at The Huntington is one of the original gardens that existed when Henry Huntington lived there(the Japanese Garden is another). Some of the plants were purchased from the estate of Authur Letts(he founded The Broadway and Bullucks department stores), when his estate in Los Feliz was subdivided(he wanted it preserved as a park but his son-in-law saw $$$). Where the Chinese and the Japanese gardens are orderly, the Desert Garden isn’t, there are pathways and a multitude of various desert plants. While we’ve been having a somewhat extended winter here in southern California, the plants haven’t noticed and are blooming. It’s not a hillside filled with color like the super bloom, but the flowers are quite colorful.
On a personal note: If you see a picture in this or any other of my OTR posts and you think it’d look fantastic on your wall…today’s your lucky day. I’ll be posting all the OTR post picture over at my place, clicking on my nym will take you there.
Taken on 2019-05-20 00:00:00
The Huntington, San Marino, CA
As I noted in the general description, things are not the most orderly in the Desert Garden, while they do have posts that identify some of the plants, they don’t have a post by each plant. You’ll notice the spherical nodules next to the flower, those are flowers getting ready to bloom.
Taken on 2019-05-20 00:00:00
The Huntington, San Marino, CA
This cactus had this nice ring of pink flowers.
Taken on 2019-05-20 00:00:00
The Huntington, San Marino, CA
This one really caught my eye with it’s stunning number of color and the foreboding barbs of the cactus.
Taken on 2019-05-20 00:00:00
The contrast between the delicate and attractive flower and the barbs of the cactus provides quite a contrast.
Taken on 2019-05-20 00:00:00
The Huntington, San Marino, CA
This one caught my attention since it’s blue, I think it’s the only blue flower that I saw in the garden.
Thank you so much ?BillinGlendaleCA, do send us more when you can.
Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.
One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form or Send an Email
JPL
I always enjoy your pictures and today even more so. thanks.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@JPL: Thanks. I did ID one of the flowers, the last one is called Sapphire Tower.
eclare
Amazing flowers and photographs. Sapphire Tower is a perfect name for that plant.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@eclare: Thanks, I didn’t mention that one of the reasons I photographed the Desert Garden is the Chinese Garden looked pretty sad. They’d partially drained the lake for maintenance.
West of the Rockies
Damn, Bill, you have an eye! Lovely, lovely work. Love the garland on that cactus (“briefer than a girl’s”).
?BillinGlendaleCA
@West of the Rockies: Thanks, I liked that cactus as well. Wait until you see “The Bloom Part II”.
West of the Rockies
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
But what the hell are we doing being up at 3 a.m.?!?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@West of the Rockies: I’m nocturnal, but I may head to bed soon. I’ve not been feeling well.
arrieve
I always love your Huntington pictures, Bill. I’ve never seen a flower with such a gorgeous blue.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@arrieve: Me either, it’s Blue and Gold*! The Huntington is a great place to practice new techniques and just shoot some pretty pictures. That’s why I got a membership.
*Go Bruins.
Mike in Oly
I’d love to see this garden! Thanks for the great pics.
susanna
Lovely pictures. Post more. Such beauty among thorns.
J R in WV
Amazing that such hardy, thorny plants like cactii have such beautiful and delicate flowers!
Take care and rest up, we want you to feel good so you can take more pictures of So CA. Really just so you can feel better!
StringOnAStick
True blue like that last flower is a rarity in the plant world, and that one is extra gorgeous. Cactus have such lovely blooms, thanks for sharing!
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mike in Oly: It’s open to the public every day except Tuesday, it’s really worthwhile to see even if it’s a bit pricey($25 on weekdays, $29 on holidays). They’ve also got some some nice art(Blue Boy and Pinky are there) and a good library.
@susanna: Thanks, I’ve got more on my Flickr page.
@J R in WV: Thanks, it is a bit surprising. I’m feeling a bit better after some rest.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@StringOnAStick: You’re welcome, bluish purple is pretty common, but that blue color is rare.