Once a year, a volunteer organization called
South Pasadena Beautiful organizes a Garden Tour. It's a wonderful event to help encourage pride in the community and keep beautifying the city of South Pasadena, California. This year's tour was the 42nd Annual Garden Tour.
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| California lilacs with ladybug - from 4th house on the tour |
This past spring, the tour covered the Oaklawn Subdivision, also formerly called Suburb de Luxe. At the base of the street at Oaklawn and Columbia,
Henry and Charles Greene designed the portals, as well as many of the homes.
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| plant swap |
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| plant swap |
The first stop of the self-guided tour is a Plant Swap, where one can bring a plant and take a new one home. The selection was quite good, and the volunteers encouraged us to take many more plants and cuttings than we brought.
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| environmentally friendly plants |
The next house showcased a newly renovated porch, custom built with period designs. The objective for the garden is to introduce drought tolerant perennials, shade plants, ornamental grasses, flowers and citrus trees.
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| kumquat tree |
The 2nd home, owned by a Landscape Architect, improved upon the inefficient irrigation system, changing it to a drip system, and planting a succulent garden.
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| flowers and blood oranges |
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| blood orange |
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| blood orange marmalade |
While we were admiring the kumquats, the home owner, who was tending to his flowers, came out and talked about all the citrus he'd been growing and techniques employed.
He cut me a couple of blood oranges with beautiful colors, and even invited us into his kitchen to taste the British style blood orange marmalade he made.
The marmalade tasted extremely tart, which I enjoy, but the fresh blood oranges had the best taste, most juice and best color of any blood orange I've ever tasted.
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| roses with bee |
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| roses |
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| backyard hammock
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The 3rd house reflects the owner's lovingly tended garden, which she began restoring herself in 1975. The same gardener also tended to the garden during this entire time. The front yard was redesigned with new pathways and plants. The joy and calm spirit of their work reflects on the garden
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| irises and lavender on front lawn |
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| bougainvillea and bamboo |
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| sunken garden |
The 4th home sits on almost an acre of land. There is a "side garden" adjacent to an outdoor kitchen and pool, and a sunken "rear garden", which is a lovely surprise. The owner imported seeds and cuttings from all over the world to add to this garden.
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| kangaroo paws |
The lush garden contains two ponds, one with a waterwheel, stone lined paths and various terraced areas at different heights. The garden also contains several large California Oak trees. The garden takes one to a different time and place.
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| original incinerator |
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| tree trunk |
Overall the historic street with architecturally significant houses that retain their traditional charm also transform to meet the current environmental needs. It was delightful to see these works in progress.
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