On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether youâre traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
?BillinGlendaleCA
If you Google “fall color in southern california”, one of the first few results will be The Huntington. Due to our warmer climate, fall color arrives late here. So last month, madame and I headed to The Huntington for her to see the additions to the Chinese Garden and for me to take some IR shots.
I was so impressed with the fall color, particularly in the Japanese Garden that I vowed to return. The day after our visit, The Huntington allowed reservations (they limit visitors due to the ‘rona) for the next two weeks to be placed and I got a reservation for the next day, late in the afternoon to get some golden hour sun.
I headed to an area above the Chinese Garden that had a grove of nice colorful trees and shot there and then proceeded to the Chinese Garden to get some photos there. While the Chinese Garden has fall color, it’s mainly willows, so I shot some photos and headed south to the main attraction, the Japanese Garden.
Stream look up towards the Chinese Garden.
Bridge in the Japanese Garden with the willow and the plants on the hill turning a golden color. Note the leaves in the water flanking the reflection of the bridge.
Heading up the hill to the Japan House, this statuary looked nice against the golden trees.
Looking from the Japan House across to the gate to the Zen Garden.
Looking down towards the Zen Garden gate.
Looking through the Zen Garden gate to the trees on the east side of the Zen Garden(the sky has been replaced on this shot).
Looking back towards the Zen Garden gate(out of frame to the left).
Leaving the Zen Garden and heading south I arrived at the main road and headed east though the Australian and Jungle Gardens and saw the tree with a woman sitting on the bench.
Open Thread: Celebrating Stacey and Georgia
Baud
I didn’t think Southern California had fall.
Very pretty.
Cermet
Very impressive; looks more like Japan than Japan! (OK, that is over-the-top.) But is very much like the Japanese gardens. That is a lot of gardening work, to say the least.
sab
@Baud: They do. It lasts 24 hours, then all the leaves fall off.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: Shhhh, it’s a secret. Thanks.
@Cermet: The Japanese Garden is one of the original gardens that were built by the Huntingtons. They’ve added things though the years with the buildings designed and built by Japanese craftsmen in Japan and shipped to southern California.
@sab: The length of our fall is dependent on if we get Santa Ana winds. That’s what knocks the leaves off the trees.
ETA: If you look at old pictures of the Japanese garden at The Huntington, you’ll see the bridge was painted orange, they discovered that was more of an American invention so they removed the paint.
ETA2: I spent more time processing the 5th shot of the trees looking though the gate than all of the other shots combined.
Arclite
Since we’re all singing the praises of Stacey Abrams tonight, I thought you all might appreciate this.
Mary G
Love these. You got peak color, and you’d never know that this is in the middle of the greater LA basin, surrounded by houses. I used to love the big plant in May, and I am aiming to back in 2022.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mary G: I think the last time I went in Winter was about the last week in December or first week of January and most of the leaves were gone. The Huntington is a really nice garden.
Steeplejack (phone)
Excellent pictures, Bill. The autumn colors suit the Japanese garden.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steeplejack (phone): Thanks, the color in the Chinese Garden was nice too, but mainly willows that were too close to the blog.
Here’s a sampler of what my patrons saw last month. If you like my work please consider becoming a patron.
BillinGlendaleCA is creating Photos | Patreon
susanna
Lovely! Â Enjoyed seeing these and planning to visit the Garden when next in LA. Â Thanks….
Albatrossity
Stunning images, per usual. The Huntington Gardens should be on everybody’s bucket list!
TomatoQueen
Thank you Bill. The bridge is in my childhood Ur-memory.
WaterGirl
Seeing all this beautiful color this morning seems very appropriate, kind of a celebration of the win last night.
UncleEbeneezer
@?BillinGlendaleCA: It’s THE BEST! Â One of the reasons we never really get into Descanso or The Arboretum is because we are so spoiled by the Huntington which is, to us, much nicer, varied, interesting, well-maintained and has much better shade. Â Add in all the great artwork (in non Covid times) and the gift shop that my wife can spend hours in, and it’s just about our favorite place.
Great pix!
BigJimSlade
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Thanks for these – lovely shots! I’m going to have to try and make it there next December! I haven’t been there in maybe 15 years.
Oh. That time 15 years ago. I went with a childhood friend and in a very echo-y, marble room (in the museum, near some bathrooms) he shot a look around, there was nobody else. And then he raised one knee a little bit and ripped the loudest fart in human history. Our faces turned beet-red and we were suddenly stifling in laughter for the next 5 minutes like silly 8 year olds. We were in our late 30s at the time.
JustRuss
Beautiful pics as usual. I remember going to the Huntington as a kid. Always meant to go back, but never did. Still have family down that way, so maybe someday…
J R in WV
Sweet garden. It’s hard for a country boy like me to conceive of woods and hills all carefully designed and planted and gardened. Here our trees are all where they grew on their own, for example. And paths are where the cows walk or the deer run.
Standard great job, though!! Thanks!
way2blue
Something about Japanese gardens speaks to me. Â The refined serenity and inspired juxtaposition of space & water perhaps. Â I walked through Huntington Gardens in October with my daughter. Â This part was my favorite. Â Thanks for sharing.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@susanna: It’s well worth a morning or afternoon especially once we return to normal times and the galleries are open.
@Albatrossity: Thanks, it’s well worth a visit anytime of the year, especially with the expansion of the Chinese Garden.
@TomatoQueen: They have one at Descanso Gardens, but it’s orange(as was the one at The Huntington).
?BillinGlendaleCA
@WaterGirl: Heh, lucky timing on my part.
@UncleEbeneezer: I love The Huntington for many of the reasons that you do. I’ve actually found that Descanso has a bit more shade at last in the oak forest and their Japanese garden when I’ve shot IR there.
@BigJimSlade: I’ve not seen the gardens at this time of the year, it’s worth a visit even if you’ve been there at other times. The description of that room reminded me of the cross hall.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@JustRuss: Glad you like the pics, if you’re visiting family here, do make a point of visiting.
@J R in WV: Quite a few of the trees and landscape are natural and many of the plants they’ve added are native. Glad you like my work.
@way2blue: Glad you enjoyed the pix and that it brought back pleasant memories.