Tag: botanical building

Tranquil beauty near the center of San Diego.

Botanical Building by reflecting pool in Balboa Park.
Botanical Building by reflecting pool in Balboa Park.

In Balboa Park you can retreat from life’s turbulence. Simply walk, read a book, or sit quietly and reflect. You can delight your senses with splashing fountains, green lawns, music, museums. Pleasing architecture is on every side. And there are many beautiful gardens.

My favorite garden of all grows in the Botanical Building. Stroll down El Prado and you’ll see an imposing wood lath building at the opposite end of the reflecting pool. That’s the Botanical Building.

Built for the 1915 to 1916 Panama-California Exposition, the beautiful old structure contains a collection of more than 2000 permanent plants. Take a slow walk through it and you’ll discover ferns, palms, orchids and other tropical plants. You’ll hear the soothing bubble of water tumbling into small rocky pools. You’ll smell sweet fragrances and be touched by many colors. You’ll want to linger.

The Botanical Building is open to the public every day except Thursday, from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Admission is free!

People walk through the huge, lush botanical collection.
People walk through the huge, lush botanical collection.
Information and guest book near entrance to historic Botanical Building.
Information and guest book near entrance of historic Botanical Building.
Alfred D. Robinson used the lath house to display plants at 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Alfred D. Robinson used building to display plants at 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Hundreds of different plants and endless beauty.
Hundreds of different plants and endless beauty.
Visitors walk quietly through the cathedral-like space.
Visitors walk quietly through the tranquil, cathedral-like space.
Some people just sit on benches and absorb the tranquil atmosphere.
Some people just sit on benches and absorb the tranquil atmosphere.
A section of wall bright with colorful blooms.
A section of wall bright with colorful blooms.
A sample of the natural beauty found in this special place.
A sample of the natural beauty found in this special place.
Platycerium, commonly known as the Stag Horn Fern.
Platycerium, commonly known as the Stag Horn Fern.
Beautiful orchids and other plants on display in Balboa Park's Botanical Building.
Beautiful orchids and other plants on display in Balboa Park’s Botanical Building.
Botanical Building visitors near display of Easter lilies.
Botanical Building visitors near seasonal display of Easter lilies.
Lots of cheerful, colorful Hippeastrum hybrids.
Lots of cheerful, colorful Hippeastrum hybrids.
Bare carnivorous plant bog isn't yet in season.
The carnivorous plant bog!
Delicate beauty on display for anyone to see.
Delicate beauty on display for anyone to see.

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Sleeveless magician sets up in Balboa Park.

sleeveless magician sets up in balboa park

One cool feature of Balboa Park is the profusion of street performers. I got a fast pic of this magician setting up on El Prado in front of the reflecting pool. That’s the Botanical Building in the background–one of the largest wood lath structures in the world!

While I didn’t see this sleeveless magician perform last Sunday, I did savor the music of a nearby harp player and listened to a guy playing a funky didgeridoo!

UPDATE!  Here’s a pic from a performance, taken on a later day:

Sleeveless magician performs card trick for rapt audience.
Sleeveless magician performs card trick for rapt audience.

Splashes of color in Balboa Park lily pond.

bright color in balboa park lily pond

One of my favorite places in Balboa Park is the reflecting pool, or lily pond, as some call it. This tranquil body of water lies between El Prado and the enormous wood lath structure which is the Botanical Building.

Flower beds, green grass and families enjoying picnics surround the pond, and colorful lotus flowers grace the surface. All sorts of interesting creatures call it home. In addition of numerous large koi (two can be seen in this photo), and floating turtles craning their heads to gaze at tourists, there are crawdads and a variety of fish that people have dumped into the pond. Years ago a small shark was spotted in the serene water!

An interesting historical fact: during World War II, when Balboa Park was utilized to mobilize American soldiers, the Navy used the reflecting pool to train sailors! You can still see old black-and-white photos of men rowing on the pool when you visit the San Diego History Center, a bit further to the east down El Prado.

These photographs are of the small pond-like section right next to the Botanical Building. This is the best place to watch brightly colored Koi swimming about.

Looking down at bright colors in the reflecting pool.
Looking down at bright colors in the reflecting pool.
Lots of color can be found in this section of the reflecting pool, by the Botanical Building.
Lots of color can be found in this section of the reflecting pool, by the Botanical Building.
Turtle comes out of the water to enjoy a bit of San Diego sunshine!
Turtle comes out of the water to enjoy a bit of San Diego sunshine!
Crowd gazes into small section of Balboa Park reflecting pool.
Crowd gazes into small section of the Balboa Park lily pond.