Garden Travel: Lotusland- Montecito CA May 30th, 2017

Ganna Walska’s Lotusland

Mid April  I had the opportunity to visit a garden that according to some is rated one of the 10 best in the world.  Lotusland – an estate just outside of Santa Barbara California, was originally built in the late 1800’s with further significant architectural and garden improvements throughout the first half of the 20th century by a few owners until the vivacious Polish Opera Singer Madame Ganna Walska purchased the property in 1941. Originally purchased to be a sanctuary for Tibetan monks, Madame Walska transformed the space to a park of many wonders.  There are at least 21 different garden rooms of varying styles.  All mass planted to have the biggest impact.

While she worked with architects and gardeners, she personally oversaw the construction and installation of many of these gardens.

Lotusland is home of over 900 endangered species of plants whose native habitat is either lost of over collected. They are integral in the plant conservation network of organizations.

Cycad Garden

Built in 1979, the garden features over 200 species of cycad. It includes some very rare examples not found in any other public garden in America. Often refered to as the Million Dollar garden because Madame Walska supposedly had to sell off some of her jewelry to pay for these specimens

Horticultural Clock

Built in 1955, this 25′ working clock planted with succulents was designed by Ralph Stevens, the son of the original estate owner. The surrounding gardens was later planted with Animal topiaries from a zoo in LA.

Blue Garden

Like some artists have their blue period Madame Walska must have also; she set aside a large area surrounding the main lawn  for all plants with blue/blue-grey foliage such as Agave, Blue Spruce, Blue Fan Palms , Dudleya to name a few.

Cactus collections-

Originally the traditional plantings near the house were replace with cacti in 1942

Then much later, after she died in 1984,   her good friend Merritt Dunlap left his extensive collection of cacti to the garden foundation. His collections was moved to its specially designed area of the garden  in 2002.

Water Garden

The original estate swimming pool was transformed into a pond that hold the estate’s namesake Lotus’ later in the year.

Parterre

The most formal part of the garden with a Rose garden that in Madame Walska fashion is a massing of 3 different roses rather than many different varieties of a typical rose garden. Pebble mosiacs and other Moorish accents adorn the area.

Other rooms

Impressively the garden has taken the cialis 20mg stance to only apply non toxic garden management techniques and only use organically certified materials.

The garden is open by reservation only. Non members must take a docent led 2 hour tour of about 6-10 people – I could have spend much more time here we only breezed through some sections. If you really want to spend some time I recommend getting a membership which is less than the cost of two visits and this allows you to roam the gardens without a tour as much as you want for a year. You still have to make a reservation though.

For more information http://www.lotusland.org