What makes a public arboretum glamorous? Peacocks, for one thing. The Arboretum boasts a resident flock of wild peacocks, strutting and posing like starlets.
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| I took this and all the photos in this post with my iPad. |
A wide range of exotic and mature plants is attractively arranged. You can tell these plants have been here a long time because of their great size.
Artfully designed and carefully maintained gardens are part of the glamour.
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| The Rose Garden |
And for a final glamorous touch, there's even a Hollywood set: a Queen Anne style cottage that was used in an old TV show called "Fantasy Island." Many's the time I've watched Tattoo call out "Da plane, da plane" from the tower.
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| Queen Anne Cottage |
This cottage points us toward the history of the Arboretum. This land was originally part of Rancho Santa Anita, a large fertile area with good water resources. In 1875 it was purchased by an investor and real estate speculator known as "Lucky" Baldwin. It was he who imported the peafowl from India to adorn the estate, and it was he who built a woodwork encrusted cottage as a Guest House.
Friendly docents provide background information.
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| Docent and Dan |
The Arboretum is located in Arcadia, but you can feel the nearness of Hollywood.
These wood relief carvings hanging in the Visitor Center express the mood.
