Walk Among The Oaks on the Autumnal Equinox

To walk among valley oaks (Quercus lobata) and coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) is to travel back in time. 

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These trees are hundreds of years old. Some of them watched the first Spanish explorers and gave limbs for the construction of Mission San Fernando.

These oak trees are not just beautiful, their shade is a cool oasis on hot days. Resident acorn woodpeckers tap on their limbs. Squirrels frolic and butterflies soar. Migrating birds seek out this ancient oak woodland for food and rest. Wilson's warblers, lark sparrows, western wood-peewees, and a Pacific wren were all visiting among the trees. 

valley oak acorn

Orcutt Ranch Park preserves this slice of ancient California. Walk among the oaks, hold an acorn in your hand, and realize experience the community of life dependent upon these trees. 

For more on Orcutt Ranch Park - one of Los Angeles' Hidden Gardens

More Earth Minutes where you can discover oak trees.
Visit Conejo Valley Botanical Garden 
Hiking Los Virgenes Open Space, CA  
Stroll Rocky Oaks Park
Oaks Involved in Calabasas Fire 2016 
Ancient Oak in Red Bluff, CA 

Winter Birding Descanso Gardens, California

Walking through Descanso Gardens on a late December morning we saw nearly 2 dozen different species of birds.
It's a beautiful walk through classic gardens and native plants.
Here are a few of birds we got on camera!


 

Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus 

Allen's Hummingbird  Selasphorus sasin

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

Great Egret Ardea alba

 

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, 

La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA

 For more videos of gardens near Los Angeles, visit us at TheEarthMinute.com

Hidden Gardens of Los Angeles

#1 - Visit Orcutt Ranch Park
#2 - Visit Malibu Legacy Park
#3 - Visit Pierce College Botanical Garden
#4 - Visit Conejo Valley Botanical Garden 
#5 - Visit a Kelp Forest at CA Science Center  

 Happy New Year, 2016!

Visit a Kelp Forest at California Science Center - Hidden Gardens of L.A. #5

Some gardens are underwater. In the heart of Los Angeles, the California Science Center offers an opportunity for everyone to experience the wonder of a California kelp forest. 

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Kelp forests are a vital marine ecosystem providing important resources and protection for fish species and other marine life.

male California sheepshead (Semicossyphus pulcher)

  Look For:

• Close-up tanks: Allowing you to see crustaceans, anemones, and small fish up close
• Fish Identification Charts highlighting the variety of coastal fish species
• SeaFood Watch Interactive Kiosk: Sit down at a lunch counter and discover how you can help keep oceans healthy by making wise seafood choices.
• Interactive Games: Be a barnacle and experience the challenge of a stationary creature trying to catch its food.

Special Opportunities:
A Touch Table on the outdoor observation deck offers a hands-on opportunity to experience kelp forest and tide pool creatures. The Kelp Forest is just one Ecosystem highlighted at the California Science Center. You can also explore Islands, Deserts, and more.

A food court within the Science Center.

The Specifics:

• Open: Daily 10 AM - 5 PM, FREE admission
• Parking: Ample $10 parking adjacent to the Science Center; Also accessible via the Metro Expo Line (exit at the Expo Park/USC station and walk .2 miles south of the Rose Garden).
• Restrooms: Numerous
• Kid Friendly: The California Science Center is designed for kids (of all ages)
• Accessibility: Readily accessible with elevators to the different floors
• Dogs: No dogs allowed.
• Restrictions: Weekends and school holidays can be busy. Special exhibits and the Space Shuttle Endeavor require paid or timed tickets.

More Information: http://californiasciencecenter.org/

Discover more Hidden Gardens in the Los Angeles Area

• Visit Conjeo Valley Botanical Garden
• Visit Pierce College Botanical Garden
• Visit Malibu Legacy Park
• Visit Orcutt Ranch Park
• Discover Southern California

Visit The Earth Minute weekly to experience a one minute adventure.

Visit Conejo Valley Botanical Garden - Hidden Gardens L.A. #4

On a recent trek to Thousand Oaks, CA, we happened upon the Conejo Valley Botanical Garden. This Hidden Garden is slightly west of Los Angeles, but definitely a local hidden treasure.
 
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Maintained by community efforts, this quiet hillside Botanical Garden encompasses 33 acres of different garden areas and wildlife habitat with views of Thousand Oaks’ rolling hills. The large area provides space for a variety of oaks and bird species that depend on these magnificent trees. We saw acorn and Nuttall’s woodpeckers, as well as a northern red-shafted flicker.

Look For:

• Fifteen specific garden areas: including rare fruit, bird habitat, oaks, sage, native and drought tolerant species
• Water features: a small stream and waterfall in the bird garden which attracts a range of birds
• Wildlife: not only does the area attract birds, look for mammals as well, like the introduced eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), and local reptiles like the western fence lizards (Sceloporus occitentalis)

Special Opportunities: The vistas are beautiful and the range of vegetation offers flowering plants even in winter. Native plant areas provide an example of how you can create wild California habitat in your own yard. Plants are well labeled and well-established specimens show plant size.

The Specifics:

• Open - Daily, except holidays, 8 AM to Sunset; Free to the public.
• Parking - Ample free parking
• Restrooms - Adjacent at the park community center
• Kid Friendly - In general a wonderful “wild” place to explore. There is also a "Kid’s Adventure Garden" and a play area in the adjacent park.
• Accessibility - Pathways vary from wide with minimal grade to narrow trails with steps. A varied stroll through the garden is possible on the wider path and signs do note “slope.” Pushing a wheelchair through the garden is possible with effort.
• Dogs - Dogs are welcome on a leash. Make sure to clean-up after your pet and be respectful of wildlife.
• Restrictions - Parking may be less available on weekends as the park is used by local picnickers and sporting groups.

For More Information: Conejo Valley Botanical Garden website

Find out about more Hidden Gardens in the Los Angeles Area

• Visit Pierce College Botanical Garden
• Visit Malibu Legacy Park
• Visit Orcutt Ranch Park
• Discover Southern California

Visit The Earth Minute weekly to experience a one minute adventure.

Visit Pierce College Botanical Garden - Hidden Gardens L.A. #3

The S. Mark Taper Foundation, Life Science Botanic Garden on the campus of Pierce College in Woodland Hills is a gem of a Hidden Garden. Tucked between classroom buildings, it demonstrates how native plants and creative people can transform a barren lawn into habitat even in the middle of a college campus.

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red mountain sage

I remember taking a class in the computer science building bordering, what was then, a large grassy area with a few trees. Now the two acres of land seem twice the size as planted landscaping and trees break-up the views. Anna's hummingbirds dive and swoop over bright blooms of red mountain sage (Salvia darcyi) and red-eared sliders lounge on water lilies. 

The Pierce College Botanical Garden is a showcase of plants from climates like our own that have hot dry summers and cool, typically wetter, winters. It is a wonderful place to see the beauty of California native plants and how important they are to wildlife. And, like any quality botanical garden, plant species are identified with signage so you can search out species for your own garden. 

This garden in a living laboratory and classroom. Students wander in and out observing the dragonflies for a moment before continuing on to class. Some stop to talk in quiet alcoves or study on the numerous benches. 

An extra attraction is the "Evolution Walk." The main walkway through the garden, the "Evolution Walk" measures out time from the Cambrian to the present. Each six inches represents a million years. Have a hard time remembering what plants and animals lived when? Here is a visual representation with the imprint of animal and plant life in the walkway for the period in which it lived. I love this walkway.

Definitely a Hidden Garden worth seeking out.

bog sage

 Look For:

• Native California and Channel Island plants, as well as additional drought tolerant species from other Mediterranean Climate Zones
• Water features: a pond and sculpture with bog plants
• Variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, dragonflies and butterflies (Including California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi); Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna), western scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica), introduced red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans), western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), multicolored darner (Aeshna multicolor), white checkered-skipper (Pyrgus albescens) and monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus).
• "Evolution Walk" with fossil and other life form traces imprinted into the walkway for each time period

Special Opportunities: It surprised me, but I spotted California quail (Callipepla californica) in the garden. The pond and native plants create an island of abundant life despite the human activity. This is a place of discovery right off the Metro Orange Line, an opportunity for anyone to experience wildness in the San Fernando Valley.

The Specifics:

• Open - Daily, 8 AM to Sunset; Free to the public
• Parking - Ample, but there is a fee weekdays: $3 for all day from the self-pay dispensers or $2 with a visitor pass obtained at the Sheriff's office on campus. Parking is Free on weekends or holidays. The Metro Orange Line runs just north of the campus. The Winnetka stop will put you closest to the Botanical Garden. 
• Restrooms - Adjacent in the public campus buildings
• Kid Friendly - This is a wonderful outdoor classroom space. Visitors should keep in mind, however, that during the week classes are taking place in the surrounding buildings.
• Accessibility - The main pathway is wheelchair friendly, however some unpaved areas may be a challenge to navigate.
• Dogs - Dogs are not welcome on campus
• Restrictions - Parking can be limited when semesters begin, especially in the morning. Ongoing construction can make it appear that entrance to the garden is fenced off. It is not. You can reach the garden by following the signs.

For More Information: Visiting the Garden webpage

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Visit other Hidden Gardens
  Hidden Garden of L.A. - Orcutt Ranch Park
Hidden Garden of L.A. - Malibu Legacy Park

Visit Malibu Legacy Park - Hidden Gardens L.A. #2

Take an opportunity to visit California habitat in an easy to access native garden. The Legacy Park Wallis Annenberg Habitats (or Malibu Legacy Park) showcases six iconic California habitats: coastal praire, woodlands, coastal bluffs, riparian corridor, wet meadow and a vernal pool.

snowy egret (Egretta thula)

While the woodlands are still far from established, the other habitats have quickly grown since the park's opening in 2010 and wildlife has been quick to move in. You can almost always see egrets and herons, as well as a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. The bridge over the Riparian Corridor offers close viewing of feeding birds if you are quiet. Watch for the snowy egret's yellow feet in the video. It uses its feet to kick up invertebrates in the water. The bright color of its feet helps the bird avoid grabbing its own toe.

If live creatures are elusive, a variety of native California animals are depicted as mosaic sculptures. You'll think better of California kingsnakes and western toads when you see them beautifully depicted in these large pieces of art.

This is a great native garden for birding and strolling. Designed to filter urban run-off water back into the environment, Legacy Park is a great example of actions benefiting people, wildlife, and the environment.

Look For:

• Mosaic sculptures of California native species & bronze sculptures of people
• Informational signage
• Native plants
• Variety of mammals and birds (Including desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) and California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi); snowy egret (Egretta thula), great egret (Ardea alba), and introduced great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus))

Special Opportunities: Migratory birds stop here in spring and fall, including small flocks of western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) in the coastal prairie area. Winter months can bring Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata) and Northern shoveler ducks (Anas clypeata).

A variety of restaurants are only a block away at the Malibu Country Mart.

The Specifics:

• Open - Daily, 8 AM to Sunset; Free to the public
• Parking - Plenty. Parking is more accessible if you approach from the north. From Pacific Coast Hwy, turn in at Webb Way and turn right (or south) on Civic Center Way. Parking will be on your right, along the park's edge
• Restrooms - No, but drinking fountains are available
• Kid Friendly - Absolutely, a wonderful place to explore
• Accessibility - All pathways are wheelchair friendly, but some are unpaved
• Dogs - Welcome on a leash, watch for coyotes and rattlesnakes
• Restrictions - Parking is more plentiful in the morning and late afternoon

For More Information: official park webpage

Visit us every week to watch more at: TheEarthMinute.com

Visit another Hidden Garden of L.A. - Orcutt Ranch Park

Visit Orcutt Ranch Park - L.A. Hidden Gardens #1

Orcutt Ranch Park

Los Angeles is filled with Hidden Gardens; gardens free to the public offering quiet escapes and natural treasures.

Orcutt Ranch Park has been one of my favorite Hidden Gardens since I was a child, it is rich with romantic rose gardens, iconic citrus groves, and ancient oak trees.  


 
The park is a 24-acre remnant of a 210-acre cattle ranch established by William Warren Orcutt and his wife. Rancho Sombra del Roble or “ranch in the shade of the oak” was nestled along a stream in the northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley. In wet years the stream still flows. This prime location was probably inhabited by native peoples prior to the mission era. Legend has it that the adobe to build the bricks for the San Fernando Mission came from just up the canyon west of the ranch.

Orcutt was a wealthy oil executive in the early boom days of California oil drilling. He and his wife retired to their ranch and lived out the rest of their lives here. In doing so, they protected a slice of California history, including a majestic oak glen. The Orcutt home, now used for events, is modest and classically southwestern. The park was registered as a Historical-Cultural Monument in 1965. 

 Look For:

• Adobe ranch house built in 1926
• Ancient oak trees, including the Bicentennial Oak; a coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) believed to be over 700 years old. (Massive branches were cut off of this tree to stoke the kilns that created the limestone ash for use in making the bricks and mortar for Mission San Fernando.)
• Rose garden & citrus orchards
• Variety of birds and butterflies (Including California towhee, Bewick's wren, and red-shouldered hawk; mourning cloaks and swallowtails)

Special Opportunities: Public fruit harvesting (oranges and grapefruit) on specific dates in Feb. and June.

The Specifics:

• Open - Daily, Sunrise to Sunset; Free to the public
• Parking - Plenty
• Restrooms - Yes
• Kid Friendly - Absolutely, a wonderful place to explore
• Accessibility - Many pathways are wheelchair friendly, but unpaved
• Dogs - Welcome on a leash, watch for coyotes and rattlesnakes
• Restrictions - Expect some closure of the house area and rose garden on weekends due to the large number of weddings performed here. The house is typically not open to the public.

For More Information: http://www.laparks.org/dos/horticulture/orcuttranch.htm

Visit us every week to watch more at: TheEarthMinute.com