IF WINTER DOLDRUMS... have a way of sending you running for the indoors, and a pot of tea, and your oldest, stretchiest, comfiest sweater, take heart: Many people feel that way. But one of the bonuses of a spate of showers? Spring flowers, of course, and we won't have to wait long for those. Indeed, some blooms arrive in the summertime, and one of the most famous, the lotus, has a way of showing up, in spectacular fashion, around July. That's when festivals pop up, honoring this watery beauty, and various flower-fun events. But you won't need to wait for July, or even summer, to call upon a landmark that is associated with the gorgeous icon. For...
GANNA WALSKA LOTUSLAND, that lush and historic spread, will once again make its anticipated seasonal debut in the middle of February. And we do mean "middle," for Feb. 16, a Saturday, will be its opening 2019 date. Know this notable former Montecito home of the celebrated opera star? It is known for its lotuses, of course, but a visit to the aloe garden is a must (there are over 140 kinds to see). Are a bromeliads buff? Pineapple people, and other mavens of dramatic flora, must stop by. And the Blue Garden is a hue-amazing location, one that changes up how we think of greenery (or, er, blue-silvery, perhaps).
TO VISIT LOTUSLAND, you'll need to reserve a spot on a tour. Best do that soon, for stroll-arounds can fill up, especially when flower fans have grown a mite tired of winter's chill. Call it a window to spring, a February or March Lotusland visit, a vibrant reminder that flowery times, and even summer-stunning lotus blooms, are on the way.
