![desert garden](/sites/default/files/styles/hero_flex_page/public/2022-08/desert-garden-header.jpg.webp?itok=ckR8wUkK)
Botanical Gardens
Botanical News
With the arrival of peak bloom season, The Huntington’s gardens attract pollinators as diverse and delightful as the plants they visit. Although many animals perform this role, nature’s preeminent pollinators are insects. Now is a great time to watch them at work.
Inspired by the dazzling array of birds that add beauty and wonder throughout the Huntington gardens, staff member Harrison Hyatt created an interactive map that highlights commonly seen bird species and some of the plants they frequent. His goal is to enhance the Huntington experience by fostering connections with wildlife.
California natives add a regional flair to gardens and also support local wildlife; many birds and pollinators prefer native plants, and some depend exclusively on them. Native plants fit a variety of garden niches, from spectacular specimen trees to ground covers, vines, and colorful annuals.
“If you can believe it, we have over 83,000 living plants here. The Botanical Gardens serve as the entryway to The Huntington, connecting all three of the collections—the art collections, the library collections, and the plant collections.”
Japanese Heritage Shōya House
Experience a restored residential compound from 18th-century Japan providing a glimpse into rural Japanese life some 300 years ago.
![Three people stand in a gravel courtyard, near a path leading to a traditional Japanese house.](/sites/default/files/2023-10/Japanese-Heritage-Shoya-House-October-23-Josh-White-%2810%29.jpg)
Botanical Living Collections
In addition to 130 acres of themed gardens, The Huntington has significant holdings of botanical living collections, including orchids, cycads, and bonsai, examples of which may be found throughout the grounds. These core collections are being preserved, expanded, studied, and promoted for public appreciation, and support many areas of botanical research, including conservation and cryopreservation. The collections also serve as the foundation of The Huntington’s educational programming, including botanical lectures, gardening workshops and demonstrations, and plant sales.
![A Corpse Flower inflorescence viewed at night from below and lit from behind. A Corpse Flower inflorescence viewed at night from below and lit from behind.](/sites/default/files/styles/text_with_image_fp/public/2023-12/1%29-titan-arum.jpg.webp?itok=suH1snHD)
The Amorphophallus titanum, or Corpse Flower, is a popular attraction at many botanical gardens, including The Huntington. In its native Indonesian habitat, the population is declining due to habitat loss and degradation. Photo by Linnea Stephan. | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
More Than Meets the Eye: Plant Conservation at The Huntington
When Henry E. Huntington purchased his estate in 1903, plant conservation was not foremost in his plans, but his passion for rare and unusual plants created the foundation for botanical collections that are significant to conservation initiatives in the 21st century.