GARDENS OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS TULIPS TAKE THE STAGE AT ANNUAL FLOWER FEST.Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - Heralding the arrival of spring, nature has put on an extravagant display at Descanso Gardens Descanso Gardens is a 160-acre botanical garden and historical site located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, California, USA. Situated in a natural “bowl” in the San Rafael Hills, this calming, urban retreat is just 14 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. , where thousands of brightly colored tulips, lilacs, iris and other blossoms are in full bloom full bloom the stage of a crop when two-thirds of the plants are in flower; the crop is mature. . The annual Festival of Flowers, featuring as its main attraction some 26,000 tulips imported from Holland, is open through May 19, with an estimated 100,000 people from around the world expected to attend. ``I can't even begin to tell you how many flowers are in bloom. There are literally thousands and thousands in bloom this time of the year,'' said Avery Econome, Descanso's public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most manager. ``There is no time like springtime. It just knocks your socks off to see all the colors,'' she said as she led a recent tour through the 160-acre urban oasis An urban oasis is a public open space, park, or plaza which is located in between buildings or formed by surrounding buildings in an urban setting. It can exist in any kind of culture. There are various sizes of urban oases. tucked away in the San Rafael San Rafael (săn rəfĕl`), residential city (1990 pop. 48,404), seat of Marin co., W Calif., a suburb of San Francisco on the northern shore of San Francisco Bay; inc. 1913. foothills. A dazzling display of tulips in yellow, red, orange and other vibrant colors greets visitors the moment they enter the garden, often drawing exclamations of love at first sight. Sporting such enchanting names as ``Blushing Beauty'' and ``Fringed Rhapsody (1) A subscription-based online music service from RealNetworks that gives users unlimited access to a vast library of major and independent label music. Within a single interface, Rhapsody provides access to streaming music, Internet radio and extensive music information and ,'' the tulips are arranged artfully in flower beds and earthen earth·en adj. 1. Made of earth or clay: an earthen fortification; an earthen pot. 2. Earthly; worldly. pots that are scattered here and there, on ledges and the rungs of an old ladder. The informality of the display is charming, evoking the feel of a home garden. At the center of Descanso's promenade is the largest concentration of tulips - two parallel stretches that extend for more than 400 feet, a draw for tourists and amateur nature photographers. ``I came specifically for the tulips,'' said Matt Reed of Burbank, who was setting up his tripod in front of a pad of Ollioules tulips. ``There is an obvious beauty about them. It's almost like watching dancers.'' For the past few years, Reed has made it an annual ritual to attend the Festival of Flowers, as many amateur photographers in the area have. ``There is no place I'd rather be at this time,'' he said. Brian Sullivan, horticultural supervisor for Descanso, estimated there are 80 varieties of tulips on display, even one that looks like a peony peony (pē`ənē), any plant of the genus Paeonia of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family, although placed in the order Dilleniales as a separate family, the Paeoniaceae, by many modern botanists), mostly Eurasian species . ``We try to showcase a cross-section,'' he said. ``By diversification, you get probably the most beautiful show.'' Sullivan also noted that different varieties are cultivated to bloom at different times to ensure that the festival will last eight weeks. Aside from tulips, another top attraction at the Festival of Flowers is a one-acre lilac grove, which boasts varieties such as ``Lavender Lady'' and ``Angel White'' that were specifically developed for the botanical garden by noted UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX hybridizer hy·brid·ize intr. & tr.v. hy·brid·ized, hy·brid·iz·ing, hy·brid·iz·es 1. To produce or cause to produce hybrids; crossbreed. 2. Walter Lammerts. With the lilac branches laden with bountiful sprays of tiny little blossoms, the air is saturated with a delicate, intoxicating in·tox·i·cate v. in·tox·i·cat·ed, in·tox·i·cat·ing, in·tox·i·cates v.tr. 1. To stupefy or excite by the action of a chemical substance such as alcohol. 2. fragrance. The scent so moved Carolyn Krigbaum of Los Angeles, she exclaimed, ``It's an aphrodisiac aphrodisiac Any of various forms of stimulation thought to arouse sexual excitement. They may be psychophysiological (arousing the senses of sight, touch, smell, or hearing) or internal (e.g., foods, alcoholic drinks, drugs, love potions, medicinal preparations). !'' Ray and Elizabeth Smith of Anaheim, who dearly missed the lilacs they grew up with in Iowa, went from tree to tree to drink in the scent. ``They smell so good,'' said Ray Smith, who visits Descanso each year. ``This year they are really thick on the bushes, more so than in the past.'' Even on weekdays, the botanical garden is packed with visitors - mothers with babies in strollers, lovers holding hands, tourists with cameras dangling from their necks and elderly couples enjoying a day out in the sun. ``This time of the year, it's not unusual to have a couple thousand people in the garden,'' Econome said. ``The weekdays feel like weekends ... That's something you typically see during springtime.'' THE FACTS Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge, is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for students, children ages 13-18 and senior citizens; and $1 for children 5-12. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box, map Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Some 26,000 tulips have been imported from Holland for the annual Festival of Flowers at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, running through May 19. (3 -- color) Aside from tulips, another top attraction at the Festival of Flowers is a one-acre lilac grove, which boasts varieties such as ``Lavender Lady'' and ``Angel White'' that were developed for Descanso Gardens. Michael Gestrich takes a sniff. (4 -- color) Photo enthusiasts set their sights on a bed of tulips during the Festival of Flowers at Descanso Gardens, which is featuring some 26,000 tulips imported from Holland. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: THE FACTS (see text) Map: Descanso Gardens |
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