(Quinn Nachtrieb • The Student Life)
I’m not a big fan of the desert. Don’t get me wrong — I appreciate palm trees and have done my fair share of hiking through barren landscapes. But I’ll always remember the time my family’s car got stuck in a ditch in the middle of Death Valley. That might’ve been the starting point of my general ambivalence toward the wasteland. If given the choice between walking through the Mojave Desert or along the Pacific coast, I’d probably choose the latter.
Over this past year of living in Southern California, though, I have to admit that I’ve grown more fond of the Claremont landscape. I’ve become accustomed to the cacti and succulents; I’ve gotten used to pebbles and boulders; I still marvel at the sight of snow-capped Mount Baldy looming above campus. However, I’ve taken for granted the sheer variety of plants that thrive in the arid climate. When my friend and I decided to embark on a casual hike at the California Botanic Garden, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
The California Botanic Garden is the largest botanic garden in the state that is solely dedicated to California-native plants. Encompassing 86 acres, it was established in 1926 by horticulturalist Susanna Bixby Bryant. It has since developed into an impressive collection of over 22,000 native species. The Garden hosts various events and classes, including yoga and wildflower walking tours.
As we walked into the Garden, I had a strange, idealistic vision that we’d encounter lush greenery and vibrant roses. My preconceived notions were immediately squashed. Stepping out of our Uber, I glanced around at the dry shrubland, which was composed of varying shades of tan and brown. As we walked through the entrance, we were met with an array of signs pointing us in different directions; the Redwood Grove on our left, the Channel Islands Garden on our right. Without any particular path in mind, we randomly chose one and began walking.
It was sweltering and I’d forgotten to bring a hat with me. I could feel the sun beating down on my neck, beads of sweat collecting on my forehead. In this moment of discomfort, I felt infinitesimally small under the unrelenting sky and strangely exposed due to the lack of shade. I was reminded of that fateful experience years earlier in Death Valley.
“Everything looks the same,” I thought, glancing around at the dense shrubbery.
“Over this past year of living in Southern California, though, I have to admit that I’ve grown more fond of the Claremont landscape.”
But did it? As I moved past the uncomfortable heat and tried to focus on what was around me, I started to appreciate the diversity in the landscape. Lining the path were fluffy stalks of chaparral yucca, spiky boojum trees and towering palms. I wasn’t surrounded by withered grass but instead by native shrubs and bushes which had learned to adapt to the dry heat.
I wasn’t in a wasteland — I was visiting a thriving habitat for native wildlife. Sure, the environment might not have looked exactly like the green botanic gardens that I’m familiar with in Northern California, but it was an impressively vibrant ecosystem nonetheless. Realizing this allowed me to more deeply appreciate my surroundings, not only within the Garden but also around Southern California in general.
If you’re itching to get off campus and touch grass (or, perhaps more aptly, shrubs) amid final assessments and reading week chaos, I recommend visiting the Garden.
It’s located just north of the Claremont Colleges on the other side of Foothill Boulevard; the entrance is directly to the right of the Claremont Collegiate Apartments (CCA). It’s a 10 minute walk from Harvey Mudd College and you can also take the Foothill Transit bus (Line 188) south of Pomona.
In addition, if you’re interested in getting involved directly, there’s also an opportunity for community engagement through the Garden’s volunteering programs. You can help with assisting garden guides or preparing dried plant specimens for the Garden’s collections. It’s worthwhile to better understand our natural environment and appreciate it despite the dry heat and occasional weekend storms.
My final piece of advice for you this semester? Go on a walk! You might just see something new.
Michelle Zhang PO ’27 is from the Bay Area. She’s a proud lefty and considers people-watching a hobby.
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