There are reflecting ponds everywhere.
Sunnylands, the former Annenberg estate in Palm Springs California, is now open for public tours. The 200 acre desert estate consists of 9 acres of formally designed desert landscape, with 53,000 drought tolerant plants. Join me for a tour.
Sunnylands was designed by landscape architect James Burnett at the behest of Leonore Annenberg. It was modeled after Van Gogh’s 1889 painting, Olive Trees.
The gardens are laid out in a precise geometric grid and are completely flat. This would not be my choice for a desert garden, as I prefer the rolling, random-look, of natural desert landscapes, but the effect are sometimes striking.
The garden was designed with plants selected so that something would be blooming year round.
An amazing variety of of desert plants are growing here.
And despite the geometric-grid design, there is the peaceful feel of the Impressionists here.
Cheers to you from Sunnylands.
You are a terrific photographer,I love all your photographs,thank you Cindy
You are why I blog ma deah!! 🙂
Nicely captured and showing the beauty of plants made for the dry and sunny regions.
And even they always manage to bloom!!!
Stunning photographs! I especially like the first and last.
I am partial to reflections also. I like the image that isn’t really there!!!
After living in the Phoenix AZ area for a few years, I was never a fan of the desert. But your photos definitely show the beauty the desert can hold.
As long as you have shelter and lots of water and ice!!!
They are amazingly amazing. Lol. What a beauty to the eye!
Absolutely beautiful photographs. I don’t have the possibility to travel so I thank you for letting me travel in this way!
I love having you along!! You make my trips much more fun! Cheers to you~
Thank you so much for those kind words!
Beautiful photos as always! love the colors leading to the butterfly 🙂
People like you are why I blog! Cheers to you~
*Big huge smile* Cheers Cindy and thank you 🙂
Geometrically dazzling! Thank you for the tour.
So nice to have you come along!! Where are we going next???
Why do people want to grow things on Mars when the Earth does this all by itself ? That’s the biggest asparagus I’ve ever seen 😉 . And, very well shot as always. 🙂
lol!!! How on earth would one simmer such asparagi??? Or slice it so serve?? 🙂
Yep. Better off negotiating with it. 🙂
Thank you for the tour. One picture looked like a giant asparagus plant. 🙂
Yes, asparagus for Lilliputians!!! LOL!
Wow I have never heard anything like that, I would love to see that garden, all these beautiful cacti, absolutely super! Wonderful you share this with us!
So happy you enjoyed!! You must come to California. I can show you lots of cacti!! 🙂
I will definitly come to California, I know more people there now…. so you and the cacti are on the list too, thank you!
Beautiful Cindy, I especially like the reflection ponds, so lovely!
The pools were ingeniously designed and planted and they were my favorite aspect also! Cheers to you~
I love cacti and this is a dream!.
Well dream on then!! They are wonderful aren’t they!! Cheers to you~
My future garden, when I move onto a warmer latittude 🙂
Always enjoy your images
This is what makes me like to blog! Thank you~
What unusual designs 🙂 The cactus remind me of little trifids!
Yes they do and there are various types of trifid like plants growing in the desert. I took some photos of some interesting ones in bloom with little yellow daisy like flowers! Clever observation~
Wow! Fabulous fotos! I love the last impressionist painting done by nature.
Mother nature is a rock your socks off artist isn’t she!!!
Such a beautiful garden!
Very peaceful even though a bit pokey!!
Beautiful place. I just love the first picture here – fantastic shot.
You are such a friend!! Thanx & hugz~
NICE! Photo #6 shows us the biggest asparagus sprouts in the world. Please send it to “Guinness World Records.” 😉
They would require a lot of hollandaise sauce and would feed a large TG crowd!!!
Beautiful place, and beautiful photos!
So kind and so appreciated!!
Cindy – Your photographs are striking. You keep getting better and better.
Practicing and practicing!! Very appreciated Sheri!
Beautiful, every single one of them!
Awww, as are your kind words! Hugz~
Thank you for sharing, Cindy! Hugs
Cindy; your photography is spectacular! Everything is beautiful. You captured all of it well!
Oh Judy!! Hugz to you and thank you!! Hope life is treating you very well my dear friend! I will need to agonize through your ethereal cupcakes to pick our TG treats. Your recipes will be handed down my family for generations!! Cheers to you my friend~
Everything is breath-taking. Isn’t nature wonderful? Great work!
Yes it is endlessly giving us gifts is we stop to look! Cheers to you ma deah~
And blessings for you
Beautiful. Just lovely.
Merc beaucoup!
What a wonderful garden. I, too, am amazed by the asparagus type plants. Was there an edible cacti section? I feel certain that some of those cacti and their flowers must taste delicious.
Oh you are so right!! Many cacti are edible and delicious. How clever you are all the way over there in NZ where the cacti aren’t!!! 🙂
I am pleased to know that it is true that they are delicious.
The light on that first photo is superb. What time of day was it Cindy? The reflections make a picture worth framing, beautiful selection Cindy
You are such a wonderful friend! It was mid-morning, maybe noon-ish at the latest~
What a beautiful strong clear light, over here taking a photo at mid day tends to wash the colours out
The second last photo makes me hungry…
The plants look like gigantic asparagus! 😀
L-O-L!!!
Yes they do!! The Century plants look just like this!! Can you imagine cooking such a huge asparagus!!!!! lol~
I actually can!
I do have a huge wok that can fry fifteen chicken at once! 😀
Oh my GOSH!!! I can’t even picture that!! Are you going to post about it with fotos???? Pretty please!!!
All the photos are so nice but the 1st and the last one are amazing, love cactus a lot and what a big ones 🙂 !
I love the look of reflections too. I find them so mysterious! Hugz to you my friend!
I always like your photos. Unfortunately, I have had too many cactus and thorns to enjoy them. In the meantime, I shall look forward to your next photo outing! 🙂
In particular one does not want to tussle with the chollas or the agaves……..Ouch! I still plant them though. Even prickly creatures can be nice too!!!!
Yes, but there are other things associated with them as well…
Actually, they are stunning come summertime when they blossom. No doubt you have seen them in bloom.
Stunning photos. These cactus are incredible. I have never seen anything like this.
Awww, make me so happy I posted!! 🙂
Liebe Cindy das sin aber schöne Kakteen das sieht super aus Traum Fotos ein schönes Wochenende wünscht dir Klaus
Danke schoen Klaus! Schones wochenende freundlich!! 🙂
Wunderschöne Bilder wünsche ein schönes Wochenende liebe Grüße Gislinde
Wunderbar Gislinde! Ich danke Ihnen sehr! 🙂 🙂
How beautiful..I am now under a lot of stress and by looking at those pictures, especially the cactus and the ponds..my heart really soothes..the greens are so in harmony
Oh so sorry about your stress and so happy these natural scenes helped to relax you! Nature can do that for us if we let it! Hugz to you!
Beautiful gardens. The poor gardener responsible for keeping the rows pristine between those needles, though! Ouch.
I thought of exactly this!!! And there is not one weed around!
I am very pleased to offer you a Semper Fidelis Nomination/Award.
The nomination is offered as token of appreciation. The award is earned by taking the time to show others the same appreciation and encouragement, by nominating and offering a specific dedication.
For more information please see the post
Your kindness has not gone un-noticed by me. Thank you again my friend for your very kind generosity!
Particularly like the first shot.
Makes me happy! Thank you~
GORGEOUS
Even the arid desert has beauties within….as long as you have water and shade!!! lol~
Beautiful photos, Cindy. Was amused by the cacti that looked like asparagus and loved the impressionist pool. –Curt
The century plants are pretty amazing! Getting them to grow in unison? Remarkable! Thank you!
Thank you for the beautiful look at the gardens. I especially like the first shot. Stunning.
I love the reflections of nature in still water too! So soothing~
surreal. (my favorite) just gorgeous, Cindy Kay!
So pleased you liked ma deah! I aim to please!
This is beautiful – I need to retire in your neck of the woods!
Oh please do!! You can take me shopping and we’ll have dinner at your place. I’ll do the dishes!!!
ok…..see ya in 5 years!
deal!
Beautiful photos! Back in the late 70’s, I lived in the Mojave…Marine Corps base in 29 Palms, Ca., and we used to take quick trips to Palm Springs. Loved that area.
Yes I grew up stomping around these areas and I was a civilian military psychotherapist so I know 29 Palms as well. Small world~
I can feel the heat! What a beautiful place, Cindy, blooming in your desert. 🙂
Thank you for the tour.
So happy you came along!
Gorgeous! I agree with you, a bit flat and formal, but still interesting. I love (I think) the yucca flower stalks, they look like asparagus. Mmmm. 😉
Yes!! But BIG!!!
I know where I’m headed next time I visit my family in CA!
Wonderful! Hope you post about it!! Would love to see/hear your take!
Like you I prefer a wilder more natural garden, but this one looks very beautiful. Love the multi-coloured cacti.
Agree with you on both points, as usual!!! Are you in Ushuaia??? You lucky duck!! Are you going to cross over the Drake into paradise? It’s still pretty early…….
No. We did look into it but it’s way beyond our budget, even the last minute half price deals, BUT . . . . . . we saw a colony of King penguins on the Chile side of Tierra del Fuego! Amazing, and we got quite close, and one of them walked right towards us. Tomorrow a trip to Martillo Island to walk among the Magellanic penguins, and the next day a boat trip up and down the Beagle Channel.
You are in paradise ma deah, I don’t have to tell you to love every second!! So happy you are THERE!!! Psyched for you!
I may live in a more “Once Upon a Time” world than most–but you straight up live in a more beautiful world than most. Nice rabbit hole…:)
Grazi, but I swear I can find the beauty anywhere!! Please keep living in once upon a time!! Such a wonderful place to be~ 🙂
Wonderful nature!
There is nothing better except for love!
Beautiful! Especially the photos of the water!
Most appreciated & cheers to you!
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Mil grazi!
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Wonderful amazing pictures! It is o.k. if I put one of it on our website?
Of course! I would be honored. Thank you for asking and cheers to you~
What a wonderful garden ! I love cactus gardens.
So happy you do & thank you! დ