It was another botanic fantastic weekend, with a Saturday picnic at The LA Arboretum. Kate and I headed to the farmer's market early, sampled cheeses for the better part of an hour, and arrived at the arboretum just as the morning chill lifted. Perfection.
We started at the newly-renovated vegetable gardens, and salivated over fantasies of homegrown produce. For now my transience precludes a real garden, but there is a potted rosemary on the porch. That's something at least.
For cold-sensitive plants, a bell jar makes an attractive cloche. The cover will temporarily warm the soil to protect from frost. These can also be used to speed germination for seeds sewn outdoors, and will deter some pests too.
Leaving the veggies, we headed into the tropical greenhouse. Tucked away in the northern corner of the grounds, this is a humid paradise. It's a little hard to find, but boasts orchids for days.
From the tropics, we wandered into Madagascar's spiny forest, and then set out our picnic next to a grove of blooming magnolias.
From the tropics, we wandered into Madagascar's spiny forest, and then set out our picnic next to a grove of blooming magnolias.
A pair of Canada geese shared the lawn with us. It was a tenuous relationship at first. Between us, Kate and I have more than a few traumatic childhood memories involving territorial poultry, but bread was broken, and we all made nice.
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