Friday Flowers: Again, Some Summer Roses

Roses at Heritage Court, Redondo Beach

And, to celebrate Mick Jagger's 70th birthday, here's a video:

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones

Enjoy!!!

Wandering Mind

A path through the South Coast Botanic Garden

Nothing much to share with you all tonight, just meandering thoughts and mellow contemplation. However, a peaceful garden photo is always a nice treat. ;-)

Enjoy!!!

Between the Cypress

Mediterranean Cypress trees at Greystone Mansion, Beverly Hill

Enjoy!!!

Fountains and Gazebos

Rose Garden at the South Coast Botanic Garden

Since the weather has gotten more amiable, I intend to go visiting the local gardens again, returning to a good stream of Flower blogging. In addition to creating content for Paideia, this will have the beneficial effect of getting me off of my posterior and from in front of the computer. ;-)

So, it is one-part creative enterprise and one-part exercise regimen. Given the beauty of the botanic gardens in Los Angeles, this is going to be a treat.

I hope you will enjoy the photos.

Gazebo on the green

Enjoy!!!

A Stroll Around the Garden

The Sculpture Garden at the Norton Simon Museum

I was able to visit the Norton Simon Museum for the first time in a few months. The water lilies were in full bloom, as were a wide variety of other gorgeous flowers. From yellow and orange to purple and green, a stroll around the pond, through the trees, around the sculptures, was a delight for the senses.

So, I figured that I would share a few photos with you all. ;-)

Looking across the pond towards Aristide Maillol's River

Aristide Maillol's Mountain

Enjoy!!!

Friday Flowers: Magnolias

Magnolia: San Jose

Sonnet I (from Renascence)
(By Edna St. Vincent Millay)


Thou art not lovelier than lilacs, -- no,
  Nor honeysuckle; thou art not more fair
  Than small white single poppies, -- I can bear
Thy beauty; though I bend before thee, though
From left to right, not knowing where to go,
  I turn my troubled eyes, nor here nor there
  Find any refuge from thee, yet I swear
So has it been with mist, -- with moonlight so.

Like him who day by day unto his draught
  Of delicate poison adds him one drop more
Till he may drink unharmed the death of ten,
Even so, inured to beauty, who have quaffed
  Each hour more deeply than the hour before,
I drink -- and live -- what has destroyed some men.

Magnolia: Brozzonii

Today, we celebrate two "old fashioned" beauties, magnolias and the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Both have a variety of culture connotations that might bring to mind bygone eras. Yet, when assessed for that which they are, free from bias or expectations, both the flowers and poems have undeniable beauty, as vibrant and charming today as they were generations ago.

So, let's wind up the week with these gentle beauties.

Magnolia: Verbanica

And, yes, these are photographs that I took during my trip to the Huntington. With so many gorgeous flowers in bloom, it'll be a few weeks before I can share them all.

Then, it'll be time for the Spring blossoms. ;-)

Prickly

The Desert Garden at the Huntington, with more than 5000 species of desert flora in 10 acres

Here are a couple more photos from my trip to the Huntington.

I'm not big on desert flora. Having a slight case of trypanophobia, I try to stay well away from needles and other such spiky, piercing objects. The shapes and colors of these desert plants are certainly interesting, well worth viewing, but it's a tense experience for me. Nevertheless, I'm happy that I overcame the phobia long enough to appreciate a part of the garden that I rarely visit.

And the desert flora is easy to compose into interesting photos.

More cacti and diverse succulents

As long as there are nice and wide garden paths, these weird prickly plants make for good viewing, but you will not find me scampering among their piercing presence in a wild terrain any time soon. The lily ponds and camellias were welcome sights afterwards. ;-)

Friday Flowers: Wet Roses

Pink roses, still in bloom at the Banning Museum


I don't want to skip our weekly celebration of floral delights. ;-)

There aren't very many roses to be found in the local gardens, but an occasional blossom here and there can catch the eye. These photos were taken last weekend, as I visited the Banning Museum to see their annual Christmas celebrations. The garden wasn't in high color, but that's to be expected, even out here with mild California winters.

The day wasn't very pretty, with dark skies constantly threatening rain. However, the little drops of moisture, having accumulated upon the petals and leaves, made for a nice sparkling accent, like liquid gems ornamenting the last roses in the final days of Autumn.

Very beautiful.

An orange rose, heavy with rain water


Enjoy!!!

Half Simpleton, Half God

Late Summer view of the Lily Pond at the Norton Simon Museum


It always amuses me that, whenever I take a vacation from the daily blogging, my readership seems to soar in terms of pageviews. Sometimes, it is because something about which I have written enters into wider consideration. This time it seems just random. It's curious, but I'm happy that some new readers have stumbled upon this humble blog.

As the photo above indicates, I went to visit the Norton Simon Museum over the weekend. They have a pretty good exhibit on still lifes, entitled "Significant Objects: The Spell of Still Life." Now, I'm not a fan of that genre of painting, but it was interesting looking at the huge collection on display, everything from Dutch tulip drawings to Claes Oldenburg's giant soft ketchup bottle. Yeah, it was comprehensive. ;-)

Hopefully, I'll get to write up a review of the show. It'll be tricky, since there is no photography allowed, but most of the images are available on the internet or from my own collection of photographed works. But for now, here's a Lipchitz:

Figure (1926-30) by Jacques Lipchitz

And, for half of this post, let's celebrate the birth date of Anton Bruckner, who was born on this date in 1824. Does this have anything to do with still lifes or my increased vacation readership? No, but incoherence is the name of today's game. ;-)

Friday Flowers: Temple of Love and Roses

Roses: French Lace (Floribunda)

Sonnet 55
(By William Shakespeare)

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone besmear'd with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
'Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till the judgment that yourself arise,
You live in this, and dwell in lover's eyes.

We've skipped a few significant Shakespeare related dates over the past few weeks. So, here's a brief post to compensate. ;-)

Temple of Love in the Rose Garden at the Huntington Gardens

As for the roses, it's about time that we celebrated their return. Lovely, lovely flowers!!!

Seifu-An: Arbor of Pure Breeze

Japanese Garden at the Huntington: Arbor of Pure Breeze

A while back, I promised you all some photos of the newly reopened Japanese Garden at the Huntington. Well, I figured we would celebrate Earth Day by looking at this beautiful place.

A crooked bridge leads to the Bonsai Courtyard

It's a bit late tonight. So I'll let the photos "speak" for themselves. ;-)

Borne by the Channel Of a Green Stream

View from the Chinese Garden Pavilion at the Huntington Botanical Gardens

Not much to say right now, but I wanted to share this photo. I took it last weekend while visiting the Huntington Gardens. The view is from the Chinese Garden looking towards the Japanese Gardens, which will be reopening on April 11. Yeah, my anticipation is building somethin' fierce. ;-)

You can bet that I'll be sharing some photos with you.

But, for now, we can only gaze from afar, dreaming of the beauties awaiting in the hidden garden.

Adorable Little Trees

Bonsai: Japanese Black Pine

This weekend was the California Bonsai society's 55th Annual Show, held at the Huntington Gardens. I've been eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Japanese Garden, set for April 11. So, this show was like a delicious appetizer. ;-)

It's actually been a long time since I showcased a Bonsai show. Well, here are a bunch of photos to make up for my slackitude.

Bonsai: Blue Atlas Cedar

Amazing artistry. More after the jump:

Empress of Winter

Camellia: Pink Perfection


The camellia season has begun, starting with a show at the Decanso Gardens. Over the next two months, nearly every weekend will feature a flower show somewhere in Southern California, from Kern County in the North to San Diego in the South and out in the Pomona Valley to the East. Yeah, we love our camellias out here in SoCal.

As a flower of Western fashion, the camellia was queen during the early to mid-19th century, but it fell out of favor in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, leaving it with an "old-fashioned" reputation. For most of Europe and the USA, it still trails dahlias, orchids, roses, and tulips as symbols of glamour.

But California is a Pacific Rim civilization. As with the other great cultures along the Pacific, California recognizes within the camellia a special splendor, a floral elegance both refined and bold.

Camellia: Tama Peacock

And that's why we are blessed with two months full of camellia celebrations. ;-)

But, although I'll be visiting many a show, we aren't transforming Paideia into a Camellia blog. I'll try to keep a healthy mix of flowers going for our Friday showcase.

Victorian Christmas at the Banning House

Clipped Hedges in the garden at the Banning House

This weekend, I was able to pay a visit to the Banning Museum in Wilmington, near the Port of Los Angeles. The museum was throwing a "Victorian Christmas" event, with a horse-drawn trolley, period dancing, hot cider and snacks, and general holiday cheer.

Phineas Banning was a 19th-century Los Angeles businessman, specifically involved in transportation, freighting, and the stage coach industry. His drive to establish a world-class port in Los Angeles was instrumental in laying the groundwork from which the city would grow into a major center of global commerce.

Victorian dancing, featuring the Yesteryears Dancers


The Banning House is now a museum, showcasing California Victorian style and culture. It's an interesting place to visit. And the hot cider was a nice touch. ;-)

Mums the Word

Chrysanthemum: Star Prize


Just because we're at mid-Autumn doesn't mean the Paideia flower shows will be letting up. We'll just be featuring a different line of beauties. And this time we're celebrating the Queen of Fall, the Golden Flower, the lovely Chrysanthemum.

The Descanso Gardens up in La Canada Flintridge were holding the 79th annual show of the local chapter of the National Chrysanthemum Society. As you can expect, nearly eight decades of showing have created a community that grows some amazing mums!!!

The variety of chrysanthemum types were well represented. Whether you like anemones or decoratives, pompons or quills, all categories were represented with glorious displays.

Chrysanthemum: Kermit

I don't often make my way up to the Descanso Gardens, requiring a five freeway trip from my place down in the South Bay. But this show was well worth the time and effort.

A (Sculpture) Garden in Pasadena

Sculpture Garden at the Norton Simon Museum


A Garden in Pasadena (Lines 39 to 48)
(By John Hollander)

Flowering trees, perennial anthologies
     Of the outcry of color against
Versions of green, calculated plots of bright shrubs
     Empebbled, flowers of rhetoric
Blaring the brightest colors of unburning fire-
     All these compose themselves in evening
Calm, even at noon, or soon after. When the light
     Has weight, and when the undimmed music
Still taking place here comes to a consonant sigh,
     Wind roughs up the grass, and petals shake.


I know, Hollander's birthday was two days ago, but, since I visited a garden in Pasadena yesterday, it seemed like a shame to not share a snippet of his poetry in this post. ;-)

Rock Form: Porthcurno (1964) by Barbara Hepworth

The Norton Simon Sculpture Garden has a lovely selection of works arranged around a charming pond. I could spend an afternoon relaxing in this peaceful enclave of Art.

Among the Purple Sage

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia Leucantha) in front of the Huntington Art Gallery


I read Zane Grey's classic Western novel, Riders of the Purple Sage, when I was little more than a child. I had no clue as to how purple sage actually looked, but my imagination was more than willing to envision a landscape painted every shade from puce to periwinkle.

As I grew older and began to draw botanical studies, I finally came across "purple sage" in the form of Mexican Bush Sage. It was a shocking experience because, as a native of Southern California, I had been living amongst it for most of my life!!! It wasn't some mythic flora from the remote wastelands of Utah; it was in my neighbor's front yard!

So, whenever I come across a beautiful display of Mexican Bush Sage, it always takes me back to both the whimsy of youth and that moment of revelation where the legendary is recognized in the quotidian.

Close view of Mexican Bush Sage

But, just because the purple sage has become a commonplace object, doesn't mean that it has lost its place within my imagination. If anything, having a firm mental image of the sage brings greater depths to my mental meanderings. ;-)

Abstractions of the Modern Garden

Two views of Button Flower (1959) by Alexander Calder


For months, I have intended to visit the Franklin D. Murphy sculpture garden at UCLA. It was back when I was writing up my post on the works of Alexander Calder. I wanted a good photo of Button Flower, but couldn't find one. It needs to be shot from multiple directions to effectively capture the spatial relationships of the work.

"Why don't I just swing over there and snap a photo myself?" I thought. "I'm always at the Hammer. And I could use the exercise of a good long stroll."

Yeah, believe me. That's one heck of a "good long stroll." I think it's uphill both coming and going. ;-)

Well, hike accomplished and photos taken. I didn't stop with just the Calder shots, but wandered around snapping away. There are so many fine works from which to choose, but here are a few of my favorites.

Cubi XX (1964) by David Smith

Yeah, the collection is heavy on the abstracts, but that's fine by me. Even after the huge David Smith show at LACMA, I still can't get enough of these Cubi constructs.

Orchid Show: Huntington Gardens

Buddha and the Orchids (Phalaenopsis Amabilis)


Orchids were the last thing on my mind, as I hopped around town visiting museums in my quest to experience the Pacific Standard Time in full. Saturday mid-afternoon found me at the Huntington to check out their exhibit on the Pomona Valley art scene, "The House That Sam Built."

My state of mind becomes tightly focused when I'm on an art mission. I get severe tunnel vision. But after viewing the show, I wandered over to the nearby Conservatory to contemplate upon the fantastic arts and crafts of the exhibit. And strolled into the midst of an orchid show!!!

"Oh yeah!" I thought to myself. "The Huntington is a museum AND a botanical garden!"

Out came the camera. And around the exhibit space I went, crawling from flower to flower. It was a race against the clock, as the closing hour was drawing near, and I hadn't planned on taking in such an array of floral beauties. But where there's a will, there's a way. ;-)

Orchid: Cymbidium "Chen's Ruby"

Viewing these flowers while being unprepared was a real treat. I usually brush up on assessment techniques before attending a show, so as to have a good idea of the traits and conformations that are cherished in a particular flower type. This experience was very "raw" for me, very unconstrained by delineations of orchid beauty.