Waiting for the Lotus to Bloom

I am lucky to have a great garden centre just down the street from me, in fact, in walking distance.  It has a pond store across the street from the trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.  I noticed the lotus the other day and it looks like it might bloom this week.  It got me started on lotuses.  I saw more last year than ever before.  They are not hardy in my zone - they are hardy in the Philadelphia area - and Chanticleer has a beautiful pond of lotus.  I also saw a beautiful stand at Lotusland in Pasadena.

Here are a few from last year - I was lucky to get some pretty lighting and be able to get close enough for a macro image of the lotus centre.

A Garden Like This - Lotusland

I was finally able to visit Lotusland last September.  It is located in Santa Barbara, and is a private garden open to the public.  Ten years ago, I wanted to visit the garden but it was the day before it formally opened.  As the garden is only visited with tour guides, it wasn't a possibility.  

This is a garden with stunning collections of cycads, cactuses, desert plants of all varieties.  Between Lotusland and Huntington, I saw the most number of desert plants ever.  It was a wonderful experience to see them so artistically displayed.  I could imagine desert gardening after these visits.  

Here is the entrance way with Ganna Walska's dedication.