As southern California faces the harsh transition from its lure as a lush paradise for visitors and celebrities from around the world to the reality of record drought, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is meeting the challenge. The Arboretum, which is located in Arcadia, Calif., has gorgeous aquatic gardens, but also has sections dedicated to water conservation.

For the visitor, the Arboretum is the perfect combination of abundant green, colorful blooms and plenty of education on how California landscapers, gardeners and Arboretum horticulturalists are adapting to the new reality of California’s water scarcity.

A visitor from any region of the country is sure to marvel at the balance between old and new, the dedication to California’s rich gardening history, and an introduction to plants from around the United States and the world. There’s also something for everyone, including rare and tropical plants, a Victorian cottage on site, a citrus grove, and peacocks wandering the grounds.

Be Sure to See

The site of the LA Arboretum boasts an extensive filmmaking history. Johnny Weissmuller swam in Baldwin Lake as Tarzan back in the 1930s, and the lake and forest areas have been home to a number of movie sets since then, including the more recent comedy film, “Bridesmaids,” and the popular Katy Perry video, “Roar,” which was filmed at several locations around the Arboretum.

If you want an overview of the entire 127 acres, take a weekend tram tour or enjoy the scene from the viewing platform near the Daylily and Magnolia Collections. You’ll also want to see your favorite areas up close, and that’s a matter of personal choice. Just open up your free map and choose your favorites. You might be partial to the Herb Garden, Organic Vegetable Garden, or Madagascar Spiny Forest.

Interested in rare plants? Check out the Carnivorous collections. A Tropical Greenhouse presents nearly 1,000 orchid varieties. If you’re planning a wedding soon, check out the Arboretum’s Wedding Garden, and while in California, you ought to take a minute to browse the Redwood Grove. Be sure to stop by gift shop on your way out, which has a terrific selection of gifts and books for gardeners and plant lovers.

Favorite Plants

Of course, some plants simply stun visitors more than others and half the fun of visiting arboretums and botanic gardens when traveling is seeing plants you’re not used to seeing in your own landscape. The other half is finding out whether you can grow the same plant – or a cousin of it – in your own lawn!

For example, the recently featured Floss Silk tree (Chorisia speciosa) is an Argentinean native that blooms in September in southern California. But several other Arboretum plants thrive in fairly warm and humid climates:

Magnolias. The Meadowbrook Garden has lawns framed by this Southern favorite.

Daylilies. The bulbs are scattered throughout the grounds and are featured in a special Daylily and Magnolia Collection.

Crape Myrtles. These stunning trees or shrubs bloom in summer at the Arboretum with red or white flowers.

Roses. A dedicated Rose Garden lets visitors view a number of rose varieties while walking under rose-covered arbors.

Palms. Mexican fan palms make a textural contrast to heirloom roses, and palms sway in the breeze throughout the garden grounds.

Herbs. The Herb Garden shows international varieties for plant lovers and educates on the herbs’ many uses for home gardeners interested in growing their own herbs.

The Details

The museum is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., although the doors close at 4:30. You need way more than 30 minutes inside! Admission to the LA Arboretum is $9, but students and seniors age 62 and older pay only $6. The tram is an additional $5. The LA Arboretum is located just east of Pasadena, Calif., at 301 Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia. It’s accessible from the Gold Line of the Metro bus system.

Anyone younger than age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. If you have children with you or anyone who has trouble walking, be sure to plan extra time for rest stops. There is a lot of ground to cover, but the Arboretum offers plenty of benches and open grassy areas for breaks that you can enjoy. And be sure to take along some water for hot summer or fall days, or purchase it in the gift shop or Peacock Café.

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