Alessandra T.
Yelp
This botanic Park is gigantic , is 86 acres dedicated exclusively to the 6000 thousand plants,trees and flowers that are native to the state of CA. Some of them unique and endemic. I did not know we have such diversity in this apparently desert land.
What to bring? I recommend everyone to bring good walking shoes to walk the trails and unpaved roads around the garden, a big brim hat, that I forgot to bring!,sunglasses and apply evenly sun protection. I also brought a little cooler bag with 2 bottles of water, fruits and saltines, but was not enought is the beginner of summer and you need more water than the one I brought, just pick the bottle of water, and bring your trash with you, to home, just leave foot prints in this natural places that are for the enjoyment of all.
Also bring your GPS, the park is so big and the signals of exit in the floor did not show all the way and then the road splits and you do not know which road to take to exit, I walked the same circle 3 times, the places is basically 2 big loops that connect to each other and the exit to the entrance is hard to find.. finally I found a wooden sign with plenty of signs that show exit 250 feet away and was able to find the entrance or exit again. As I said the park is dedicated to our local flora, so if you want to see the big flower bloom is better to go in spring season, many of the CA sunflowers, CA poppies and other spring flowers were already dying because is summer time.
There are areas that are very impressive in the park and a must see:
Fan palm Oasis, with gigantic fan palms, the only palm native of California.
The Majestic Oak, I sit almost for 1 hour under the shade of this majestic tree,hearing the birds, watching the animals like squirrels and bunnies playing with each other and admiring this beautiful gigantic old tree, in the branches pictures, I noticed there was a human shape, in one of the branches. Probably an ancient indian playing the flute, is what my eyes see. Sharing pics.
The Joshua Tree Woodland, I never have been in JOSHUA TREE and this garden part is like being in the desert in Joshua tree with the San Gabriel Muntains behind, beautiful views.
The reflecting pond at the end of the loop where you can see turtles and ducks swimming happily and save in this little oasis behind the city freeways.
Finally one of my favorites was the channel islands Garden, Catalina Islands area, also if you never have been in Catalina this is a good representation of the flora of that magical island with the brilliant wild yellow poppy, the flower of CA as the most beautiful flower in the garden, at least for me.
I drove over there to make some self portrait pictures of my new line Eden Garden in tagua nuts and to release a live video of the release of that collection in the park and it took me the whole day this adventure from 12 pm to 5pm, but they are open until 8 pm.
So if you have nothing to do on Saturday of Sunday, drive there and get ready for a whole hiking adventure around all our CA landscapes. There is many areas to sit in benches to rest under the shade of a tree, but there are not coffe places, restaurants and only a coffe card at the entrance selling water, sun hats and honey, so you better bring your own lunch, water, a backpack and get ready for the adventure, but do not leave your trash behind. Hope you enjoy the park and do not get lost in the 86 acres trails like I did. Good hiking!