In virtually every respect, Sunnylands Center and Gardens is the polar opposite of family-run Moorten Botanical Garden. The two things they have in common—both are located in the Palm Springs area and both showcase desert plants—are eclipsed by their differences. Moorten is 1 acre in size, Sunnylands 200; Moorten looks to be run on a shoestring budget, Sunnylands is flush with money; Moorten is visited by normal folks like you and me; Sunnylands is a “high-level retreat center” for the likes of President Obama.
And yet, both places are outstanding destinations for succulents lovers. Moorten very much looks like a private garden—which it once was and, and its heart, it still is—while Sunnylands showcases landscape design on a grand scale and scope. Where else can you see many hundreds (maybe even thousands) of golden barrel cactus ( Echinocactus grusonii) all lined up like soldiers at a parade?
Only 70 species of desert or desert-adapted plants are used in the 15-acre garden in front of and behind the newly built 15,000 sq. ft. visitor center, but to achieve the desired color and texture effects, over 53,000 individual plants were installed. The plant procurement process took an entire year and involved five nurseries in California and Arizona. The details of such a large-scale project are fascinating; the articles listed under “Further reading” at the bottom of this post make for riveting reading.
I won’t go into the history of Sunnylands and billionaires Walter and Leonore Annenberg who owned the property before they converted it to a non-profit foundation; this Wikipedia article has all the basics in case you’re interested. What is important to remember is that landscape architect James Burnett was inspired by the Annenberg’s love of Impressionist painting and arranged the plants like an “Impressionist canvas.”
Read more »The video above is an unedited slideshow of all the photos I took at Sunnylands. I thought I’d offer this an option in addition to the selection of edited and processed photos below. Be sure to view the video at the highest resolution for the crispest image quality.