A Walk In The Park

Kath and I went for a nice walk in the park yesterday. Spring has sprung and the trees are in bloom. I took some nice pics of the trees and the park, and the show ended in a grand finale of a magical 22° halo showing up around the sun. Fun! The photos are here.

Griffith Park is 4,210 acres, one of the largest urban parks in North America, and it’s only a couple blocks from where we live, which is great. On the other hand, Los Angeles has one of the lowest percentages of shade coverage of any American city, which is why they’ve decided to cease planting the tall, lollipop-looking palm trees synonymous with Southern California since they give about as much shade as standing behind a skinny person. They’re not actually native to Southern California, either. They were brought in as decorative plants starting in the 20′s and 30′s. They only truly native palm tree in Southern California is the Desert Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera).

So, while one of the iconic images of LA are slowly becoming part of our history, a return to native species that are better adapted to the environment, use less water, and that provide more natural shade is a smarter, more harmonious solution in the long run.