The Huntington Library Botanical Gardens

If the amazing weather we have been experiencing in LA is any indication, we are shaking off our “winter” and entering one of the most beautiful times in this great city — Spring. Not only does the sun stay out longer (great for later tours), but the flowers are blooming all over and it is the perfect time to visit some of the beautiful gardens we have. One of our favorite’s is the Huntington Library’s Botanical gardens.

Located just East of Los Angeles in San Marino, the Huntington Library is a collections-based museum featuring 18th & 19th Century European and 17th – 20th Century American Art. Founded in 1919 by businessman Henry Huntington , the main part of the museum is installed in what used to be the residence of Huntington and his second wife, Arabella. While the various art displays throughout the property are magnificent, a real draw to the Huntington is their 120 acre Botanical Gardens. Yes, 120 acres. Which is not much considering that the property in which the Huntington sits was originally a 600 acre citrus farm.

So they took this “little” splice of the land and turned it into a magnificent site to behold. There are technically more than a dozen various themed gardens on the property – an Australian Garden, the Camellia Collection, the Children’s Garden (which is wonderful on hot days), the Desert Garden, the Herb Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Lily Ponds, the Palm Garden, the Rose Garden, the Shakespeare Garden, and the Chinese Garden – which is actually the largest Chinese garden outside of China.

Getting to walk through the magnificence is almost better than experiencing it first hand. When everything is in bloom, it’s like your own personal secret garden. And what is more, the Huntington wants to make sure your experience is a beautiful one. So whether you are looking at their Chinese Garden in which took artisans from China 6 months to create or at the biggest cacti and succulent collection in the Desert Garden or the beautiful bridge and peaceful nature of the Japanese Garden, you feel like you are enveloped in one of the rare works of art you find inside the museum itself.

Come experience this and so much more with LA Insider Tours.