Arlington Gardens, Pasadena

Arlington Gardens, from the sidewalk

Ginny, who organizes the painting group, discovered Arlington Gardens in Pasadena, with fields of poppies! (Poppies!!) Last week (or maybe the week before? It's become a blur), my buddy Karen and I checked it out. Karen adds, "Oh, and there are lots of garden details...". Did I mention that, besides the gardens and flowers, that I'm a pushover for landscape architecture and garden details? My eyes bugged out. What a find!

I've compiled this from various articles:

The once vacant lot at Arlington Drive and Pasadena Avenue has been transformed into a California Friendly™ Mediterranean demonstration garden. Owned by the state of California and leased by the city of Pasadena, the 2½-acre property has been planted with more than 800 plants and trees including palm trees, an orange grove, olive allée, lavender garden, California poppies, pepper trees and more.

The garden is arranged into two main horticultural and stylistic areas-- Native California and Mediterranean. There is a formal Garden Room in each respective area; the Olive Allée in the Mediterranean section (western half) and the yet to be constructed Crafstman Commons in the California section (eastern half). Other important features include: Tuscan steps, an amphitheatre, an orange grove, a meadow, an arroyo, a vernal pool, desert areas and a raised-bed herb garden.

Thanks to numerous private donations from local residents, businesses and partial funding from the City of Pasadena and Pasadena Water and Power, we have added many new trees, shrubs, perennials and annual wildflowers to the original roster. In addition, we have received generous donations from local businesses and individuals which have added comfort and beauty to our garden with seating and ornamentation. Although it is still a work in progress, the Arlington Garden is already a place where nature and people rub elbows in many gratifying ways. (Karen and I also met a number of very sweet puppies that were being walked by their respective people)

The garden is maintained and supported by the non-profit group Arlington Garden in Pasadena with generous help from local residents, Pasadena Beautiful Foundation, the Parks and Natural Resources Division of the Pasadena Public Works Department and Pasadena Water and Power.

Betty and Charles McKenney, who live in the house adjacent to the lot (in the house Karen and I were both wishing we lived in, no doubt), tend the garden.

Read more at the landscape designer's website (scroll down), including how to donate or volunteer!


Lots of great garden details!

See the whole set of photos!

The garden is open from dawn to dusk, and Karen and I are both certain that it will continue to be a charming place to visit through all the seasons. See Karen's watercolor study; it's just lovely!