DK Travel : Los Angeles : Huntington Library, Art Collections, & Botanical Gardens

Huntington Library, Art Collections, & Botanical Gardens

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The Huntington is one of those rare places that manages to please the eye, stimulate the mind, and nourish the soul all at the same time. The former estate of railroad and real estate baron Henry E. Huntington (1850–1927), it consists of a trio of treasures: the art collections include fine examples of British, French, and American art; the Huntington Library has about four million rare manuscripts and books, including a Gutenberg Bible; and the Botanical Gardens are a fantastic feast of flora in a pleasing parklike setting.
For useful information on the Huntington log on to www.huntington.org

Top 10 Features

1. Japanese Garden

A place for strolling and quiet contemplation, Huntington’s Japanese Garden is among America’s oldest of its kind. Its canyon setting is accented by a shimmering pond filled with koi fish and lovely water lilies.
2. Desert Garden

This exotic garden with its clusters of whimsical cacti and flowering succulents, has an otherworldly feel. One of the world’s finest, it’s a study of the ways in which desert plants adapt to survive in harsh conditions.
3. Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”

This rare 1410 manuscript of English poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s most famous work is complete, in marvellous condition, and filled with luminous illustrations. It’s perhaps better known as the “Ellesmere Manuscript,” after its former owner, the Earl of Ellesmere.
4. Gutenberg Bible

The Huntington Library’s star exhibit, this 1455 Bible is one of only 12 surviving copies printed on vellum (calf or sheep skin) by Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz, Germany, the inventor of movable type. The colorful chapter headings and decorations were added by hand.
5. Rose Garden

This romantic garden brings you nearly 1,800 rose varieties, some of them with a pedigree going back to ancient Greece. These noble blossoms may be enjoyed from March right through December, May is the peak month.
6. Bonsai Court

The art of grooming and training trees into fully mature but dwarf-sized versions originated in ancient China and Japan. This small but exquisite collection includes specimens of California juniper, gingko, and Japanese black pine.
7. North Vista

The palms and stone statues lining the central lawn of this Baroque garden reminds one of European palaces. It connects the Huntington Gallery with a dolphin-studded Italian fountain against a San Gabriel mountain backdrop.
8. Greene & Greene Exhibit

Charles and Henry Greene, known for their wooden houses and fine furnishings, were the first to practice the early 20th-century Craftsman style (see Greene & Greene Craftsman Houses).
9. Boone Gallery

The newest gallery space at the Huntington, the Boone began life in 1911 as a garage. With columns that echo the Neo-Classical style of the mansion, it is used for temporary exhibitions.
10. Camellia Garden

Camellias reached the Western world in the 18th century. With about 1,200 varieties (in bloom from January to March), this garden has one of the finest collections.

Practical Information

Picnicking, alas, is not permitted, but a self-service restaurant serves light meals and refreshments. Better yet, make reservations (626-683-8131) for English tea served in the Rose Garden Room, a time-honored Huntington tradition. Amazing plants from the Huntington nursery are available for purchase during the Garden Talk and Sale event held every second Thursday of the month. 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino near Pasadena 626-405-2100 Open noon–4:30pm Tue–Fri, 10:30am– 4:30pm Sat–Sun, 10:30am–4:30pm daily in summer Closed Mon Adm $15/$12/$10/ $6/free for adult/senior/ student 12–18/child 5–11/under 5s, free 1st Thu of month