Backroads wander through hidden parts of the Huntington property, unfolding the story of those who lived there a hundred years ago and of those who live there now.
This old, stone culvert begins at the northern end of the unused acres. Huntington decent docent Karin and I passed it early in our ramble. Next came expensive private homes, lining the fence just outside the property. Through thick foliage we glimpsed tennis courts, gazebos and private gardens. It would be abusing my privilege to show them to you. People pay a lot of money to live exclusively, and I'm not that kind of blogger. (But I enjoyed my glimpses.)
I thought you'd like another flower shot. The place is rife with wildflowers.At the southern end of the property we found the other end of the culvert. At least I think it was the same one. It appeared outside the most exclusive home of all. There's a grounds-keeper's cottage--not really a cottage, but a lovely home, very private. Can you imagine?--being able to wander the grounds alone in the midst of all this glory?
22 comments:
I really thought I knew every inch of Huntington Gardens but I've never gotten the secret tour!
These and the ones from yesterday are so gorgeous.
I love this photo series: the way you captured the light in the forest.
Thanks so much for you comment in MuDP.
A lovely follow-on, Petrea ~ and more beautiful wildflowers. Which form of vegetation were these ones smooching up to?
Now there you go getting all the good shots before I can have a go at it! :)
I'm loving this private tour -- even the part where you keep the exclusive homes private. Lovely wildflower-filled grounds, and yes having this as my backyard would be amazing. Any groundskeeper jobs available? I'm good with house plants.
This flower-strewn forest is more beautiful than the naked Chinese Garden - it made me sad when I saw them clear the wild wood to build it. Some of the oaks you walked by were already there when Shorb bought the ranch in the 1880s, but there's been quite a bit of human interference since, according to this excellent piece of research by Jane Tsong of LA Creek Freak (6 Jan 2010).
http://tinyurl.com/ygg5juk
Yesterday's photos and today's surely show the Secret Gardens. Thank you and Altadena Hiker for letting us sneak in via your photos!
Me too, Laurie. This tour was a special treasure for me.
Thanks, Usuahia!
Shell, those flowers were smooching up to me!
Virginia, there's plenty more and more and more.
Katie, the Huntington always needs volunteers! Private tours are a perk.
Bellis, I hate to say it but I'm not a fan of the Chinese garden. I've visited it many times and tried to photograph it, but haven't gotten anything I like. I've seen pretty pictures of it but they were taken on a foggy day, and how many of those do we get? I think the garden will be beautiful in 20 years, when things have had a chance to grow and gain the patina of age.
Thank you for your link. The part where they talk of the fields of grass and wildflowers--maybe what I saw was what's left of that.
Brenda, you're welcome. I can honestly say it was an absolute pleasure.
A lovely series, these photos, many thanks.
You show-off! Look at those flowers.
Yes, it's hard to forget the caretaker's cottage.
I'm having a good time, too, Pascal Jim. You're very welcome.
Karin, you haven't seen the blurry photos I deleted.
This is one of the places I got busted. That was several years back and I did indeed make it to that cottage and beyond before being caught. I long for the days before 9/11. Now if I were so much as to look in that direction, I'd be tackled.
Lovely photos; I can imagine how it would smell with all the green and wildflowers.
I'd take a "cottage" within beautiful woods like these :)
Me too, Ms. M.
PA, you and Karin are so brave. Or is intrepid a better word? I had rule-following beaten into me as a kid and it's still there even when it doesn't serve me, or anyone else for that matter.
I'm finding it easier to go where I'm not supposed to as I get older. Confused and short-sighted old ladies often take a wrong turning and can't see the Keep Out signs. "I'm so sorry sir, I was looking for the herb garden." You've still got a few years to go before you can get away with that, Petrea.
What an excellent idea, Bellis. Hell, I'm an actor.
I got it from my dad. A serious, three-piece suit executive who would gleefully, fearlessly tresspass anywhere on the weekend.
Lovely photos; I can imagine how it would smell with all the green and wildflowers.
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Karin, sounds like your dad was like many dads of our parents' generation--worked all week in a job that wasn't really him, so he could be himself on the weekends.
Nishant, especially since it was a cloudy day, it did smell lovely.
Love that last picture especially.
The grounds keeper cottage resident is really lucky.
I think he is, too, Dina. I didn't take pictures of his cottage because the privacy of it is so wonderful.
There's a groundskeeper's cottage? I'm envious of your glimpses into the secret Huntington. :D
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