Looking for the positives

I haven't visited South Coast Botanic Garden since early July, which is relatively unusual.  I popped in at last earlier this week.  My mood may have been colored by the the recent election results, the fact that we haven't had any rain in over six months, the fact that the botanic garden hasn't held a proper plant sale for a long time, or a combination of all these factors but I found myself disappointed.  However, it didn't help that the construction project that started in 2022 appears to be stalled, that many areas were still closed to visitors, or that there were a lot of bare beds.

The construction of a new Children's and Family Garden started in December 2022.  The official groundbreaking was held March 15, 2023 and that year I saw a lot of earth moved around.  However, these photos taken through the fence don't show much progress since I was there in July.

My favorite Banyan Grove is still inaccessible except at its furthest end

The original signs posted on the fences surrounding the work area in 2023 stated that the new garden was slated to open in 2024.  The new signs I saw this week just say it's "coming soon."  I checked online and couldn't find a single update on its status.

I don't think I've been able to access the upper meadow on a single one of my visits this year.  It could be a coincidence I suppose...

There were a lot of bare beds like these.  The 2 shown in the bottom row are part of what was the Garden for the Senses.  A friend of mine, also a former volunteer, poured her heart into renovating this area pre-pandemic but there are just remnants to show for her hard work.

The holiday season light show is up and running.  I'm sure there are many people who enjoy it and it no doubt brings in revenue (given that virtually all botanic gardens I'm familiar with seem to have one).  It feels as though it overshadows the garden itself, though.

I had to wonder if the light show was structured around the garden or vice versa

I tried to shake off my disappointment and looked for something I could get excited about.  As it turned out, the area that most impressed me was one that was replanted early this year.  I'm not sure how to refer to it as the garden's map hasn't been updated since 2015.  The lake is gone, the dahlia garden was replaced by a butterfly pavilion, the Mediterranean garden is closed off or gone, and so on.  The replanted area encompasses part of the original Mediterranean garden, part of the upper meadow, and extends to the corner of what I've always referred to as the "promenade," a path that leads from the garden's main entrance to the entrance of the rose garden.

This shot was taken from the far edge of what used to be the Mediterranean garden.  The "new" area features Salvia leucantha, pink and white Muhlenbergia, California natives like Epilobium canum and Cleomella arborea, and succulents like Calandrinia, Opuntia, and Euphorbia rigida.

I think there's some Romneya coulteri (matilja poppy) in the mix too but I couldn't get close enough to be sure

The palm and  whale's tail agaves have been in this corner for awhile longer than the rest of the plants

The new area, visible in the distance, offers a nice background to the Rose Garden

The other areas worthy of note include the Desert Garden, the Pollination Garden, and parts of the "promenade."

This is a different view of the old section of the Desert Garden than I usually show but it's been tidied up recently

I always believed that the large agaves in the back were Agave shawii because that's what the signage suggested but my phone's plant ID app  suggests that the plant shown on the right is an Agave shawii  and the 2 look very different.  Does anyone want to weigh in on IDs here?

The Pedilanthus bracteatus is looking good

The aloes on the left are mostly Aloe vanbalenii or hybrids of that species.  I didn't get close enough to those on the upper right to ID them.  I believe those on the lower right are Aloe 'David Verity'.

This mix of plants sits on the corner of the promenade across from the palm accompanied by whale's tongue agaves shown earlier.  The yellow-flowered plant is Senna pendula.  The plant behind and to the right of the Senna is a hot pink-flowered Callistemon.

More Agave ovatifolia are scattered along the promenade walkway

A few individual plants also stood out.

Ceiba speciosa (aka silk floss tree, left) is at its peak.  Remarkably, the Jacaranda on the right still has some flowers at the top of its canopy.

Furcraea foetida (left) has an impressive flower stalk.  I thought the plant on the right might be an aloe at first but it seems to be Furcraea macdougallii (aka American aloe).

Lastly, the Tithonia diversifolia (aka Mexican sunflower) surprised me with all its blooms

The bulbs and bedding plants for sale at SCBG's plant kiosk were nothing special, all locally available at garden centers for approximately the same price

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