William Deverell, the director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California (ICW) and the West, chats with USC doctoral student Sarah Keyes about her research on the Overland Trail experience of 250,000 Americans who moved west before the Civil War. Continue reading
In seven days we close the Japanese Garden for nearly a year of renovation and improvement. Part of a series about Mr. Huntington’s Garden by the botanical director of The Huntington. Continue reading
When Ben Oki first saw a bonsai tree as a curious youngster of six, he asked his father what bonsai was. “It’s something people do when they retire,” his father explained. Luckily for the world of horticulture, Oki didn’t wait that long to start. Continue reading
For the first time in the history of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, The Huntington entered the exhibition. Continue reading
Sunday was a dark and stormy day at The Huntington, but a rainy day is about the very best time to visit the Garden—especially if you pack a camera. Between downpours, I was in the North Vista checking out the clivias. Continue reading
I want to quickly introduce you to one of the beauties of the Fall-planted vegetable garden: Osaka Purple Mustard. This Japanese mustard green has a spicy, wasabi-tinged taste that is great in stir fry (it mellows when cooked) or delicious if picked young for adding a bit of heat to … Continue reading
Sweet alyssum is a common flowering plant, easily available in seed or in pony packs at your local nursery. It is usually planted in the fall in Southern California. This is what it looks like today (March 19). Sweet alyssum happens to be extremely useful in the edible ecological garden. … Continue reading
Forget shamrocks. The best plant at The Huntington on St. Patrick’s Day is a bromeliad. At the bottom of the Desert Garden is the giant Puya berteroniana, which amazes us each year at this time with green flowers. Continue reading
With this posting, I’m beginning an on-going commentary in which I hope to explain the potential mysteries of why change happens (or doesn’t) in the gardens, giving fair warning as to what plans and projects are in the offing, and making suggestions as to what corner of the grounds you might wish to explore at the moment. Continue reading
For the better part of five years, Frame has been assembling a body of work that features, at its core, an eclectic cast of fully articulated characters. The figures are a combination of meticulously carved wood and found materials. Continue reading