Basic HTML Version
54
winter
|
spr ing
were people who left their mark in garden design all over Southern
California who were key in helping Madame realize her vision.”
It is this depth of history that Stauffer wants to expand upon,
through interpretation and educational programs. She wants to show
how the gardens of Lotusland evolved through the many people
who have touched it over the years. These include early owner Ralph
Kinton Stevens (known as Kinton, he was one of Santa Barbara’s
early nurserymen), his son Ralph Stevens (who designed the famous
horticultural clock studded with zodiac signs), Lockwood de Forest,
Jr. (who initially balked at Madame’s desire to use cacti as foundation
plants), Oswald Da Ros (responsible for much of the ornamental stone
work), Fritz Kubish (who designed the Bromeliad Garden), Charles
Glass (creator of the Lower Bromeliad Garden), Jim Minah (pebble
mosaics), William Paylen (Fern Garden), Frank Fujii (Japanese Garden),
Charles Glass and Robert Foster (who worked on the cactus, succulent
and cycad gardens) and Lori Ann David (topiary garden restoration).
developments, such as its dedication to responsible environmental
stewardship.
“Lotusland was the first public garden to make a commitment to
operate as a sustainable garden,” she points out. “We’ve been working with
representatives of both the city and the County of Santa Barbara to help
them develop sustainable programs, whether it be related to dog parks or
public parks. We estimate we’ve reduced water consumption at Lotusland
by half since going sustainable. Lotusland is a model, and we want to take
some of our programming outside these pink walls. I want to double the
outreach program, to get it out to the entire County. But the schools pay
nothing, so we have to raise all the money to do so.”
Lotusland will always be associated with its last owner and benefactress,
Madame Ganna Walska. After all, what can top the story that she sold
nearly a million dollars worth of jewels in order to finance her rare cycad
garden? But clearly Lotusland’s legacy is bigger than the beautiful, strong-
willed opera diva with a penchant for marrying millionaires.
“We’re bringing the story back around full circle,” says Stauffer. “As
time passes, Lotusland will be seen as a special, iconic place not only for
Montecito, but for the entire Santa Barbara community.”
Architectural ornaments enhance the views at Lotusland, where more than two dozen
distinctive theme gardens are planted with thousands of species, some of which are
extinct in the wild
George Washington Smith designed the bath house adjacent to the Water Garden for
the Gavit family. Two semi-circles originally planted with water lilies and water hyacinth
flanked the former swimming pool, the square outlines of which can still be seen.
A Special, Iconic Place
The above list of twentieth century names is both incomplete and
inadequate to encompass the contributions of those who have been
involved in the creation, restoration and continuing enhancements at
Lotusland. Some of the more historical features of Lotusland harken back
even farther, such as the seventeen “grotesques” found in the Theatre
Garden. A few of these stone dwarves are clearly based on the 17
th
-century
engravings by French artist Jacques Callot (1592-1635), depicting well-
known characters from Italian
Commedia dell’arte
theater.
Stauffer is also determined to showcase Lotusland’s 21
st
century
(BD)
(BD)