Spring Break at Balboa Park's Desert Garden

Back in March 2016, we had a family event in San Diego, so we made a vacation of it and did some sightseeing and exploring on the side. I've done a few previous posts on San Diego's botanical highlights.

Today, I'm focusing on Balboa Park's Desert Garden. I honestly only spent about two or three hours touring Balboa Park, and although there's much, much more to explore on a return trip, it's astonishing how many amazing treasures I discovered. Note that very few of the Desert Garden plants were marked (and I'm less familiar with these), so please correct me if I've identified them incorrectly.

The Desert Garden and Rose Garden are set off a bit from the rest of Balboa Park.



As you walk the bridge over Park Blvd., you notice that even the medians are planted with lovely xeric plants.



Looking back over the bridge, this offers some perspective--most of Balboa Park is on the other side.



At the edge of the Desert Garden, you get a nifty canyon view overlooking the highway below.



When I was there, the Ice Plants (Delosperma cooperi) were blooming.



A stunning sight to see after four months of bitter winter.



I always notice the lizards when I travel. I know--when you see them all the time, it's not a big deal. But we have only a few lizards in Wisconsin.



This cute, little hummingbird followed me around the Desert Garden. I think it was a rufous, although I didn't get close enough for a positive ID.



This grouping of Golden Barrel Cactuses (Echinocactus grusonii) was impressive framed by Statice flowers (Limonium sinuatum).



Blooming Barrel Cactuses (Ferocactus spp.) were plentiful, too. The yellow flowers were yummy in the California sunshine.



I love the common name of this one: Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus senilis). It looks soft as a pillow, but be careful! I also like the Oxalis blooms floating in among the grouping: I don't know if this was intentional, but it was pleasant.



The Sennas (Cassias?) were blooming golden yellow, too. I think this is either Senna surattensis or Cassia leptophylla. These two genera seem to be under review and have similar histories and purposes. Anyway, they're glorious in bloom.



No question about the drama and awesomeness of the Torch Aloes (A. arborescens). They seem much at home in San Diego, although they're native to Southern Africa.



How about this awesome Cow's Horn Euphorbia (E. grandicornis)?



Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus) seems to beckon hummingbirds.



This grouping was my favorite in the Desert Garden: a beautiful Artichoke Agave (A. parryi), nestled between Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) and Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks (Senecio cylindricus).

In this cold, wet transition from winter to spring here in Wisconsin, I'm longing for a warm, dry day. These pleasant memories help...a little.

And Now for Some Colorful California Memories

I won't say I like or want snow, but a few too many days of brown and gray have me longing for color and brightness.

So, let's take a trip to San Diego's Balboa Park, shall we? Back in March 2016, we traveled to San Diego for a family wedding, and I had a little free time to explore. Three other previous posts cover The San Diego Botanic Garden, Balboa Park's Rose Garden, and the Zoro Garden at Balboa Park.

This post covers plants you might see while strolling through Balboa Park's paths and parkways.



For instance, Bird of Paradise plants (Strelitzia reginae) are abundant. This plant reminds me of my dear grandmother, as I'm told it was one of her favorites.



One would expect to find Poppies, and there are many--both native species and others, like this Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule).



Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans), a lovely, dramatic bloomer, is a common plant in the area, too.



Where you see Echium plants, you're likely to see many, busy pollinators.



Tropical Hibiscus flowers (H. rosa-sinensis) greet with volume, intensity, and flair.



There's a pathway just beyond the zoo that incorporates bright orange and yellow Clivia plants (C. miniata).



This is a pleasant sight to see after several months of winter.



The snails like them, too!



The pathways throughout Balboa Park are well-maintained and attractive, and encourage comfortable strolls.



This pathway incorporates elephant topiaries.



A highlight of Balboa Park is its historic botanical building. Unfortunately, it was closed during my visit--another reason to return! The lath structure is surrounded by a reflecting pond and beautiful bedding plants.



The Friends of Balboa Park, encourage their Adopt-a-Plot program.

Exploring Balboa Park after spending the winter in the Midwest is like waking from a long, deep sleep. It's cathartic and euphoric, in the best senses of those words. After only a couple hours in Balboa Park, I felt refreshed and renewed, and I returned with nearly 250 plant photos. Here are just a few more notable beauties:

Bulbine (B. frutescens)

Red Tulips (Tulipa spp.)

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes')

Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica)

Blue Plumbago (P. auriculata)

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum spp.)

Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.)

Gaura (G. lindheimeri)

Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum)

Honeywort (Cerinthe major)

Orchid Tree (Bauhinia purpurea)

Dwarf Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon seiberi or C. pallidus)

Part of me wants to fly to San Diego and skip the winter, but that won't happen this year. Plus, a warm vacation means so much more after surviving a cold winter. (At least that's what I keep telling myself.)

* * * * * * * * * * *

[Special note: My thoughts and prayers are with those north of San Diego dealing with wildfires, and for people who will deal with the threat and the recovery in the days ahead.]

A San Diego Jewel: Balboa Park's Rose Garden

During our recent trip to San Diego in mid-March, I had a few brief (much too brief) opportunities to visit botanical sites. While my husband and son toured the world-famous San Diego Zoo, I decided to spend the afternoon exploring adjacent Balboa Park. In some ways, that was a mistake--only because there were simply too many wonders to experience during a few brief hours.

One highlight was the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. Featuring more than 2,400 roses in nearly 200 varieties, the garden was just beginning to bloom during my visit. I can only imagine how stunning it must be throughout April and May.



The fountain along one edge of the garden wasn't flowing during this photo, but it allows you to see the nearby Desert Garden, which I hope to cover in a future post. The City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department website offers a few photos that illustrate the circular design of the rose garden--one sphere surrounding the fountain and the other surrounding the sitting area, shaded by a rose-covered trellis.

Here's a small sampling of the early bloomers I noticed during my visit. Most roses in this garden are listed as hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, or zone 10 along the dry West Coast. The first six are floribundas.



Fitting for the season, 'Easter Basket' is a multicolored beauty. Depending on its stage of bloom, the flower color varies from creamy yellow to shades of pink.



'Betty Boop' produces semi-double blooms from spring to fall. The glossy, dark green foliage provides an attractive frame for its colorful flowers.



'Burgundy Iceberg' shines in dappled shade. I suppose that sounds incongruous, but the rich tones of this lush rose appear a little more washed out in the sunshine.



'Jump for Joy' seems aptly named. The peachy-pink flowers have golden centers.



I probably wouldn't stop at this one, except for the name: 'Walking on Sunshine.' The USDA hardiness zone is a little warmer, at 6 to 9, although some sources list it at zone 5.



Various sources list 'Showbiz' with a wider USDA hardiness range--from 4 to 10. I tend to favor the pinks and peaches, but this rose is classy and really captures attention.



Imagine a bouquet of 'Mother of Pearl.' This grandiflora fits that sweet spot of pink with peachy overtones that makes my heart jump.



'Elle' is a hybrid tea rose with 5-inch blooms. Google search images for "rain drop roses elle hybrid tea" for some stunning eye candy. This one is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10.



'Brigadoon," another hybrid tea, has a pinky-coral bloom that intensifies as it ages. I remember this one as being much more attractive in person. The shape and color are exquisite.



Who can pass by a shrub rose with the name 'Yabba Dabba Doo'? In addition to its quirky name, this plant's flowers are eye-catching--resting upright and flat atop the foliage.



This final rose of my post seems noteworthy for its beauty in all stages of blooming. Fully open, the gentle petals of 'Gold Medal,' another hybrid tea, are luscious.





And 'Gold Medal' is equally lovely as a gentle bud.



If you need a break from activity, the rose garden also features a circular sitting area, shaded by a lovely rose-covered trellis.

This jewel of a destination is one of many at San Diego's Balboa Park, where you could spend weeks and still find new wonders to explore.