Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
U. of California Santa Cruz Arboretum 1.31.2025
Many species of plants at the UCSC arboretum are in the Fuchsia genus. Correa reflexa is a native fuchsia found in Australia and consists of many different varieties – ranging from ground-hugging species to those reaching a height of 5 feet. It was fun to see the diversity of these shrubs throughout the arboretum.
U. of California Santa Cruz Arboretum 1.21.2025
Conebush is from a family of plants indigenous to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. This one is a large shrub or small tree, evergreen and stunning for the reddish flower heads at the ends of the branches.
U. of California Santa Cruz Arboretum 1.20.2025
Yesterday, Jim and I decided to take a road trip and complete a loop around the Bay Area Peninsula. He has been hard at work upgrading the electrical system in the Airstream – replacing the converter with an inverter/charger and installing lithium batteries. And, he needed a break!
We started out the trip with a stop in Boulder Creek. This small town on Route 9 has an obvious “hippie” past based on the vibe and the locals that we encountered. Just my kind of town! It was fun wandering around the one main street and poking our heads into various antique shops. I was lucky enough to find a great deal on a used Chico’s jean vest and a cute watercolor print with a canoe paddle theme.
We had a sweet, inexpensive brunch at a local restaurant called The Tree House Cafe. The food establishment got its name due to being “built” around a massive redwood tree that is the centerpiece in the back dining area.
Our next destination after leaving Boulder Creek was a stop at the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanical Garden. It sits high up on the hill above Santa Cruz on part of the college campus. I had not researched the arboretum prior to arriving so I was surprised to discover that the plant focus is specific to Australasia with additional plant species from parts of Africa and the Mediterranean. The arboretum is divided into sections – plants from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and an area of California natives. One of the interpretive displays shared that this focus is because these areas have a similar climate to much of California and therefore many of these native plants will grow and thrive here.
It was amazing to see so many totally unfamiliar and unusual plants and flowers. I was loving it! There is a fair amount of plants flowering now and I was in heaven taking close-up photos of some of the curious flowers.
The top photograph was taken in an open area of the garden. There was no sign indicating what these figures were or who created them. I looked it up later and discovered these are called Suncatchers and were sculpted in 2017 by John Hylton. I read that the figures align with yearly solstices and equinoxes and his inspiration came from the “ancient solar calendars of Europe”.
I will tease you with one flower photograph and post a few more in the next couple of days. 🙂
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve 1.20.2025
Expansive view from the top of the ridge – the line between sea and sky is barely visible in the distance.
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve 1.15.25
While we are hanging out at our son’s home in Skylonda on the Bay Area Peninsula, I have been exploring the many open space preserves that exist here along the coastal Santa Cruz Mountains. I just discovered the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve and it’s a mere 15 minute drive from our son’s property!
Today was my second hike here and I brought the big camera this time! One of the trails in the preserve is named the Ancient Oaks Trail and there are quite a few “speciman” Coastal Live Oaks that give this trail its name. I’ll be posting some more photos over the next couple of days!
California Native Plants 1.9.2025
Brittle Leaf Manzanita is native to the Central California coast and distributed mostly in the coastal foothills between the San Francisco Bay Area and south to Santa Barbara. I found this plant growing in the La Honda Creek Open Creek Preserve at the higher elevations of these hills. It’s a beautiful large shrub or small tree – wider that tall and sporting deep red/burgundy peeling bark. Love it!!
Los Gatos Creek Bike Trail 1.8.2025
Today we did a road trip with our grand-dog, Wylie, and ended up exploring the Vascona Lake County Park located in Los Gatos, CA. There is a bike/hike trail that runs through the park called the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The park is a nice slice of green in an area that is quite urban. I was surprised to see some flowering shrubs and trees. Notably, the Island Bush Snapdragon above was growing along the banks of the lake. It is apparently native to the Channel Islands off the coast of California.
Two other flowering plants in the park were non-native, introduced species – Mexican Bush Sage and Silver Wattle.
The park has a small railroad that runs throughout the area and also a carousel! Those two attractions are only open on the weekends in the winter. I might just have to go back on the weekend so I can ride the carousel!! 🙂
La Honda Creek Preserve Day Hike 1.5.2025
These baby redwoods were growing at the base of a large diameter redwood on the trail up to the top of the preserve – and the dark, damp trunk made a nice backdrop for the bright green needles and red stems.
Another Arastradero Tree 1.3.2025
Room to grow…
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 