TRUE STORY? You can mark the start of the seventh month in many ways, from the buying of Independence Day decorations to saying farewell to the gloom of June (if, indeed, it leaves when its namesake month ends). But something else that's happening near the start of July involves a stunning flower that completely wows but doesn't stick around for too long. It's the lotus, and Southern Californians pay tribute to it in many ways, from a festival in Echo Park to visiting the gorgeous blossoms found at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. And in...
SANTA BARBARA? There's actually a fabled and flowery place that has "lotus" in its very name: It's Ganna Walska Lotusland, the historic spread that once served as the home to the acclaimed opera singer and nature lover. But you don't have to wait for summertime to call upon the leafy location, for Lotusland will again open its doors to visitors, and to a new season, too, on Feb. 19, 2020. There are several distinctive themed gardens to call upon within the spacious destination, including the the Aloe Garden, the Cactus Garden, and the Fern Garden, too. And the camellia-filled Japanese Garden? That recently underwent a renovation, so stop by and take a fresh look at what's new.
THE LOTUS LOVELINESS... of summer may still be a few months away, but you can soon spend a sublime winter's day at one of the not-so-hidden gems of the American Riviera.
