My Visit to the Huntington Library and Gardens

14 days ago

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to visit the Huntington Garden and Library for the fourth time. It is always a great experience, defintiely not to be missed if you can make the trip to the Pasedena area.

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BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
Original Author

14 days ago

last modified: 14 days ago

The best part of the visit was spending time with my friend Tom who has been curator of the Rose Gardens for a decade. He was so generous with his time and knowledge not only of the roses, of course, but also the history of the gardens, its art pieces, and all the other gardens.

Tom and BenT and Tom’s beautiful bright orange kid, Chris Evert. (While we both spent many years in Texas, those are not cowboy hats, they are just to keep out the sun, the San Gabriel Valley was quite hot already!)

Some fun stories I was told about specific roses:

Barbra Streisand had promising new varieties sent to her home to try out before choosing the mauve grandiflora above that bears her name. Two of the varieties she tried and turned down were Moonstone (!) and Gentle Giant, she wanted a highly fragrant rose.

Careless Love is a rose that was promoted in the old Henry Field catalog for many years as ’wild in color, no two are the same’. A couple of rose breeders trying to name this variety while they were drinking when they discovered a feral cat had just had kittens, hence the name ’Careless Love’!

One of the major rose companies decided to have a naming contest for the rose pictured above. Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman in the original Batman, submitted her own name , and she won!

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Comments (14)

BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
Original Author
14 days ago
last modified: 14 days ago
The Rose Gardens contain over 4000 plants and easily the great number of varieties of anywhere that I’ve ever visited.

Outta the Blue and Jump for Joy. Jump for Joy always looks amazing here. Outta the Blue is the pre-cursor to Ebb Tide and and Twilight Zone.

Nicest plant of Barcelona I have ever seen.

A standard that is half Easy Does It, half Easy Going. I’ve seen these for sale before but never the mature plant, quite nice!

Some varieties are unique to The Huntington, this is San Marino Heritage which was named for the town where The Huntington actually resides.

These sturdy arbors house a variety of climbers. They are actually made from concrete and the wood bark details are carved by hand

There are also these super tall arches that house other climbers (where to get one, lol!) Beautiful greenery, big old trees surround the roses and everything is given meticulous care.
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Thank you for posting those pictures I don't dare. I find that people don't like me talking about the Garden that I love. I volunteer there, the Disocora was found when then cleaned out a old section, they had forgotten that it was there, it was hidden. What a nice surprise. I just gave them a Mexican Bombax, I hope it does as well, I won't tell a soul that you walked off the path, i wasn't there I didn't see you. So there! I see you took some pictures of some Echevieria, thank you, they are not my favorite plants, the golden Barrel have been there for years, I remember as a child then they went in, I also rememer the white cactus hill, I remember going up that path in an old Model A in a rumble seat, no seat belts. The Garden is now 100 years old, and this century we are doiong major building, bringing it into the 21st Century, New everything, more of everything, much imporvement, new Chineses Garden we are not on stage two, new Tea house for the Japanese Garden, and double the visitors cactus house on the hill, we will have a new nursery in front where you can purchase plants all the time. Every thing is going to be bigger and better, we have a new visitor tropical conservatory, we have a childrends leaning center, and playground to explore and learn, we have a world class Botanical Library and tisscue culture lab. We have research students from around the world, this is considered a world class Library, Art Gallery, Gardens, come and see all. Norma I still get excited when ever I'm there, and I do feel priviliged to be allowed to volunteer, and learn. Norma
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Chris, I am so jealous of you. How wonderful to have gone there. Thank you so much for the pictures. Way way back around 1987 or so we were at LA and only went on tours of the parks and attractions. Wish I knew about this then and would have gone there. Now when we travel we always stop at garden centers and arboretums. Most however don't have a very large Sans display if any.
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erasmus_gw
14 days ago
It looks like a treat to visit that place! Nice to talk a little rose history I'm sure. Am pretty sure my mother took me to the Huntington and to Descanso gardens. I really like those concrete tree arbors.

I grow Outta the Blue and think it makes a wonderful plant. I let mine get big and it 's so sturdy and tall. I am not in love with it though...am in like with it... and the best use for it for me is as a tomato stake. I plant a tomato on the shady side of it and it grows up and through the plant and puts out lots of tomatoes. Best tomato stake ever!
jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
14 days ago
Sounds awesome! :-)
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
14 days ago
Oh gosh I have to get myself up there ! I always enjoy going. Last year I met Stephanie from the forum there and we had such a lovely time. The roses are stunning and it’s so fun you got to meet up with Tom. I’ve seen him there but felt like he was a celebrity of sorts and not wanted to bother him lol . Do you recall how Huntington pink ice looked there , it was my souvenir last visit from the plant sale and was spectacular the first year I went !
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
13 days ago
We went several timed to the museum but we never saw the gardens. Even as a kid I was dissapointed to not get to walk around. Glad that you had a great visit Ben
BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
Original Author
13 days ago
Jen

How wonderful you and Stephanie were able to go together, I’m envious of how easy a trip it is for you! I think living close to The Huntington would be ideal, I’d be there every week!

Kris,

Some people prefer the libraries, and they are indeed impressive, but I can’t get enough of the gardens.

Erasmus,

I see Outta the Blue growing fabulously in my neighborhood as well, I didn’t know the name until I saw it at The Huntington. I actually took my mother this time.
BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
Original Author
13 days ago
last modified: 13 days ago

Mons TIllier

Rose Delizy

White Banks

Pink Gruss

Bassoues Tea

Some of the Tea and Species roses at The Huntington
Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
13 days ago
What a beautiful visual feast! I also like those cute behind-the-scenes stories.
sylviaww 9a,hot dry Inland SoCal
13 days ago
Thank you, Ben, for posting this! In 2008-2009 I took a summer class for teachers at the Huntingdon. At the time we lived 25 min. away in the SFV. I counted myself a winner in the lottery of life when I could walk those gardens at lunchtime, 5 days a week. It doesn’t get any better.
Can I buy San Marino Heritage?? I need to check their web site.
Monsieur Tillier blew me away. Teas are so satisfying: sturdy, substantial, covering themselves in blooms whose colors are a theme and variations — not always the same note.
Are Bassoues’ blooms consistently apricot? Is anybody growing it in hot dry climates? Ours has gone from 9b to 10a this year…
Diane Brakefield
13 days ago
Ben, this is such a delightful post. I love the photo of you and Tom Carruth. I hope some day you let him know he has a huge fan in Idaho. And I hope he's saved a small space in the orange bed for Orange Dude. Tom has done a fabulous job at the Huntington in his 10 years there. Your first photo was stunning, and I loved the half and half standard. I hope there are many more visits to the Huntington in your future, and that you take lots of photos for us. Diane
BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
Original Author
13 days ago
last modified: 13 days ago
@Diane Brakefield

Diane,

I must tell you that we were having dinner at a yummy Thai restaurant when outta the blue Tom asked, ’who is Diane from the rose forum?’. We discussed your giant Julia Child, and wonderful purple roses Ebb Tide, Twilight Zone , Wild Blue Yonder that are all his ’kids’. So he definitely does know what a wonderful job you have done with growing them (and he mentioned you over Thai food, lol!).

Feiy

Thank you, I love to know the stories behind individual varieties, too.

Sylvia

Lucky you to stroll the Huntington for a whole week. I was thinking I need at least a week full time to see it all. They have a plant sale at end of April, I heard some special roses are available then.
Diane Brakefield
12 days ago
Ben, you just made my day. I'm so happy Tom Carruth knows how special his roses are to me. And I love Thai food. My son in law is an outstanding Thai Cook. But you didn't mention if Orange Dude is in that orange bed--ha. Are the roses blooming well when the plant sale takes place at the end of April? What a dream trip to take all that in. Diane
judijunebugarizonazn8
9 days ago
Thank you, Ben, for the report and pictures of your visit. I’ve never been there in spite of living in California for nearly 20 years and traveling through that area often. It’s still on my bucket list and I have hopes this may be the summer I finally get to go.