Tag: gardening

Natural History Museum’s nature trail opens!

The construction fences are down! The San Diego Natural History Museum’s new outdoor native garden has opened, and there’s a trail that follows the newly planted greenery around the museum!

Native plants, flowers and trees now abound, but since the garden is just getting started, most plants are small and the landscape appears a bit bare. Once everything is grown, the garden should be much more beautiful!

Right now there’s plastic fencing along the pathway, protecting the new plantings from careless visitors and dogs. It appears to be temporary.

Informative signs can be read along the looping trail, and smaller signs indicate the native species planted nearby. There’s a boulder-filled sitting area and short side trail, too, on the museum’s north side–you know, the side with the enormous Moreton Bay Fig.

The “Nat’s Nature Trail” features various themed segments. As you walk around the Natural History Museum building, you encounter Pollinator Paradise, Spiny Sidewalk, Boulder Garden, Discovery Path, Wildlife Walkway, First People’s Garden, and Container Corner.

What a great addition to an already amazing Balboa Park!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Spring colors in the hidden Zoro Garden.

If you don’t venture down into Balboa Park’s mostly hidden Zoro Garden, you won’t experience its colorful spring flowers that are now in bloom.

I headed to Balboa Park for a special Memorial Day program today, but I had a couple of hours to wander around. I’m so glad I caught a small glimpse of this color as I walked along El Prado. I couldn’t resist turning down a path that descends into the park’s sunken stone grotto garden.

Look at all the flowers! And another hidden surprise!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

San Diego Bonsai Club’s Spring Show!

Fantastic examples of bonsai could be viewed by the public this weekend in Balboa Park. The San Diego Bonsai Club hosted their Spring Show and Sale in Casa del Prado’s Room 101.

A series of long, narrow tables appeared to be lined with tiny, ancient, wind-blown trees. It’s uncanny how the beautiful art of bonsai can trick and fascinate the eye.

These bonsai were carefully sculpted by members of the club. The show and sale also featured supplies like pots, soil and starter trees, and expert bonsai technique demonstrations.

Check out these photos. I felt like I was walking beside a miniature forest!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Hidden art by community garden in El Cajon.

What inspires you?

Should you walk through the park-like space just outside the New Roots Fresh Farm Community Garden in El Cajon, you might spy several instances of weathered art.

Post-like structures overlooking El Cajon and distant mountains in East County contain messages of welcome and belonging. Most of the nearby garden plots are tended by refugees. Many of these refugees are Iraqis who’ve fled persecution. By selling fresh vegetables at local farmers markets, a little extra income might be obtained.

The park-like space where this art is painted was empty when I walked down its overgrown path a couple days ago. I saw places to sit. It would be a good place to find quiet and fresh air.

The land occupied by the New Roots Fresh Farm Community Garden was provided by Kaiser Permanente a little over ten years ago. The project was completed in partnership with El Cajon’s local International Rescue Committee.

Leaves and Fruit.

Home is anywhere or any place you feel safe.

I am from: the past and the future where the present lasts forever.

Be yourself.

Environment. What have you been through?

Roots.

Welcome.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Spring blooms at Japanese Friendship Garden!

Spring is in full bloom at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park!

On this sunny day, many visitors were walking through scenes of lush natural beauty.

In the Lower Garden the cherry blossoms were still like clouds of pink through which anyone could serenely amble. Being the third Tuesday of the month, San Diego residents could enter the garden for free. Lots of families took advantage!

As I walked along the high path near JFG’s newest waterfall, I noticed that an azumaya is under construction. An azumaya is defined as a traditional arbor or summer pavilion found in formal Japanese gardens.

These photographs show how dreamy the garden now appears.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Help make Balboa Park more beautiful!

Would you like to help San Diego’s world-famous Balboa Park become even more beautiful? There are many volunteering opportunities for you to explore!

Today I spotted a bunch of volunteers picking up litter in the park. I learned from a friendly lady at the Forever Balboa Park canopy in the Plaza de Panama that a similar cleanup is scheduled for next weekend! Get your coworkers and friends involved!

I also learned an Arbor Day Tree Planting event that you can join is coming up! It will be on April 26th, from 9 am to 11 am.

Would you like to learn more? Check out the Forever Balboa Park volunteer web page here! And to remain informed, join their email list!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

New plantings at Manchester Pacific Gateway plaza!

A new tree-filled, park-like space is coming to San Diego’s waterfront!

The Manchester Pacific Gateway project’s 1.9 acre plaza will be located west of the One Broadway Hotel, which is now in the early stages of construction. The sunny outdoor plaza will be open to the public, just across Harbor Drive from Broadway Pier.

A small army of workers was out today planting greenery in the new plaza. When completed, this popular stretch of the North Embarcadero should be even more inviting and beautiful!

The tall building you see in the background of my next photograph is one of five new buildings at the adjacent Research and Development District. I spotted more new public art at RaDD during today’s walk. I’ll be blogging about that shortly!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Art, gardening and fun at the Soap Factory!

The Soap Factory, at 2995 Commercial Street, is a mixed-use event venue in Logan Heights that features a historic brick building, lots of cool art, an outdoor garden, and even a small soap factory!

The public had the chance to take a look inside The Soap Factory last weekend during the San Diego Architectural Foundation Open House event.

I walked around the old building and found some great murals. Then I walked into the arched open air pavilion, which, as I understand it, was previously utilized as a garage by an auto parts company and Pacific Bell. During my visit, some workers were setting up a stage for an event.

I then stepped from the pavilion through a door, led by a friendly Open House volunteer, and found a bar, tables and assorted furniture surrounded by more eclectic art. In one corner of the building’s interior is a small soap “factory” which is the source of handcrafted Early Girl Creations products.

The spacious outdoor area, which now features a garden (including a robotic watering device!), once contained mock telephone poles. The poles were used to train Pacific Bell technicians who’d practice ascending them!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Volunteers beautify a Balboa Park garden!

A group of volunteer Garden Stewards were busy in Balboa Park today working in the Casa del Rey Moro Garden!

Garden Stewards were trimming plants, pulling weeds, sweeping away debris, and contributing to the celebrated beauty of this elegant Moorish garden behind the House of Hospitality.

When you walk through Balboa Park, especially on a weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll see these volunteers working in one or more of the park’s eighteen gardens. Their efforts supplement work performed by City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department employees.

Now that Spring is here, expect to see happy Garden Stewards working their magic among many colorful flowers! Say hello! They like that!

Do you love sunshine, plants and flowers? Do you live in San Diego? Would you like to become a Garden Steward and magnify the beauty of our city? Check out this web page to learn more!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

A free Bird Friendly Home and Garden Fair!

A free “Bird Friendly Home and Garden Fair” will be open to the public this coming Sunday, February 25, 2024. It’s part of San Diego Audubon’s big five-day San Diego Bird Festival, which is presently underway at the Marina Village Conference Center!

The Bird Friendly Home and Garden Fair will feature local organizations and businesses that help you help birds. There will be exhibitor booths, educational presentations, and people can build a bluebird nesting box for the California Bluebird Recovery Project. The program schedule includes a family music program and a live birds of prey presentation. There will be information about native seed libraries, what to do if you find an injured or baby bird, and much more!

To read more about this unique weekend event, click here and scroll down. You can participate in other San Diego Bird Festival activities, too!

(If you’re curious about the above photograph–that’s a Great Blue Heron that was perched in a tree above the San Diego River. I spotted it yesterday while walking across the pedestrian bridge near the Fashion Valley transit center.)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!