There’s so much that I took for granted growing up in Santa Barbara, and it took me moving away for many years to realize just how amazing my hometown is (I mean, I always thought SB was incredible but now I am just obsessed). I understand now how unbelievable some of my field trip spots were as a student in this community.
Lotusland is one of those places that I definitely didn’t fully understand or appreciate when I was younger. It’s amazing that the public can visit this historic estate and that I was able to tour the grounds as a kid. I feel like I didn’t fully comprehend how special it is to have such a unique place in our community until I revisited recently.
My parents, Patrick, and I went several weeks ago when Lotusland was hosting a few, limited capacity, summer event nights where you could picnic on the Great Lawn and explore the grounds. We were able to snag a spot due to a cancelation because tickets sold out so quickly. The summer picnics are over, but they are hosting Autumn Al Fresco Picnics in October and November – some are open to just members while others are open to the public as well. We brought blankets and chairs, masks (required), shared some appetizers and wine, and then set out with a map of the grounds to make sure we hit all the different areas. Just on its own, it’s a gorgeous spot to relax and picnic, and you are free to walk around as much or as little as you want.
For a little backstory, Lotusland is a 37-acre, Montecito estate that was completed over 43 years by Madame Ganna Walska. The property is recognized as one of the top 10 gardens in the world. I repeat, Lotusland field trips were definitely taken for granted. Walska was a 6-time married, Polish opera singer and socialite with a flair for the dramatic and fantastic. There are nods to her personality all throughout the extravagant property. In 1993, Lotusland became a nonprofit botanic garden, and since then people have traveled from all over the world to walk Walska’s gardens.
Lotusland boasts 25 gardens and 3,000 plants from around the globe. We hustled while we were there to make it around the whole property, but you could spend days wandering the gardens. Highlights for me included seeing the stunning Japanese Garden (reopened in 2019 after a 2-year renovation), Cycad Garden (more on this to come), Water Garden (filled with lotuses), giant-clam-shell decorated pools, the whimsical Theatre Garden (complete with lots of unusual small statues), and the Topiary Garden (there’s a 25-foot clock in the center). If you want to watch a short video that tours the property, you can do so here. You can become a member of Lotusland or make an appointment to tour (make your reservation in advance too!).
I didn’t know anything about cycads before touring the garden. It’s very Jurrasic Park-esk so I was intrigued. Cycads are cone bearing plants that were popular when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The Cycad Garden was the final garden that Walska created, and she had to sell her extensive jewelry collection to complete it. Hence, the Cycad Garden is nicknamed the “Million Dollar Garden.” Cycads are the most threatened plant group on earth and the Cycad Garden contains 450 specimens and almost half of the known cycads in existence. To put this in perspective, it’s said that cycads are more endangered and rarer than the rhino. This absolutely blew my mind when I toured the gardens. Again, I had no idea just how exceptional Lotusland really is and I live in the same area.
A silver lining of this pandemic is that it has forced us to stay closer to home and to become tourists in our own communities. I feel like there is so much to see and do here that we either forget about or saw ages ago and need a little reminding. Hopefully you all are also discovering hidden gems (or maybe in-plain-sight gems) where you live. I hope you add Lotusland to your list of “must-sees” if you are ever in town. As for me, I’m looking forward to discovering or rediscovering more of the “touristy” hotspots in my area and appreciating what I have in my own backyard.
