The historic southern part of the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden
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Lucky Baldwin was the most famous of the previous owners of the Rancho Santa Anita land on which the Arboretum and Botanical Garden is sited. Back in the late 1800s he made a name for himself as a horse trader, a mining speculator and eventually a developer and mayor of the new city of Arcadia. Among other things he developed while Mayor was the Santa Anita racetrack, located right across the street from the Arboretum. His home and coach house are located in the southern part of the Arboretum.
When Lucky Baldwin first saw the property he reputedly said: “This is paradise.” And then set out to make it into his version of paradise.
The home is sometimes available for tours but at the very least you can look through the windows and see how this extraordinarily rich man lived.
Baldwin immediately began to landscape the grounds around his new home, planting a variety of orange and other citrus trees as well as roses and more roses. Then he had postcards made up from a photo of the property to promote the sale of lots in what is now Arcadia. You can see a rose garden and citrus orchard near his home.
The Reid Adobe
Lucky Baldwin was not the first owner of the Santa Anita Rancho. A Scotsman, and citizen of Mexico, named Hugo Reid built the first home on the Rancho. This photo was how it looked but the last time I saw it, the Reid Adobe was hidden behind a fence. It is a very typical California adobe style home and now has been fully restored.
The Tropical Forest
In this southern part of the Arboretum is a wonderful tropical forest, filled with towering palms, and other tropical plants. At the far western edge of the tropical forest, which is amazingly cool on a hot summer day, is a collection of redwoods.
In keeping with Baldwin’s plantings, nearby there is a large herb garden, a daylily garden, a flowering plum and large orange tree orchards, and a perennial flower garden.
The Matilija poppies, native to California, shown left, are actually part of a drought-tolerant garden in the northern part of the Arboretum.
Lakes, streams, waterfalls
Streams and paths wind through all the gardens in the southern part of the Arboretum and make it a very pleasant place to simply sit and enjoy the scenery. For people who do not want to undertake the long walk around the Arboretum, tram tours are available.
The two waterfalls and the little streams that wind through the southern part of the Arboretum are man-made.
The lake beside Baldwin’s home is a natural, spring-fed lake that during drought years was allowed to go dry. Recently, the decision was made to pump some water into the lake when the water level falls too low to support the fish that live there.
Go here to see more in the northern part of the Arboretum.
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