Yellow Lotus

There are many beautiful gardens in Santa Barbara and Montecito.  I was lucky enough to visit one today and doulbe lucky to see the lotus flowers in bloom.  They just started opening last week and the sun was out today.  My lucky day!!

"Yellow Lotus"   © Kathy Dunham 2010

Lotus Land

Today I attended a meeting of my fellow botanical artists at the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino near Pasadena. After the meeting, I took advantage and the time to slip into the new Chinese Garden that was just opened earlier this year. They've done a spectacular job with the pagodas, ornamental plantings, koi pond and beautiful tea house. These Lotus plants are enjoying their new location and blooming profusely. Many people mistake them for waterlilies but they differ in that they raise their leaves and flowers out of the water. Their seed pods when dried are often used in decorative dried floral arrangements.

"Lotus Land" © Kathy Dunham 2008