Succulents and More™

Lotusland . The name alone evokes visions of an exotic place shrouded in mystery. And that’s exactly what it is: a fantastical garden full of mystique. Above all, Lotusland is the singular expression of one woman’s taste and tenacity. That woman was Ganna Walska, or Madame as she is still called today. Born Hanna Puacz in 1887 in the Polish town of Brest-Litovsk, then part of the Russian Empire, she changed her name to Ganna Walska when she entered the world of opera. Gifted with a remarkable voice and a passion for music, she pursued vocal training and made her debut as a singer in Warsaw at the age of 17. Her talent quickly garnered attention, leading her to perform in cities like St. Petersburg, Paris, and Vienna. Ganna Walska ca. 1941 It wasn’t just Ganna’s vocal prowess that captivated audiences; her striking beauty added to her allure. She became known not only for her singing, but also for her glamorous lifestyle, often mingling with high society figures and attracting admirers ...

Part 1 of my post about my recent visit to Ganna Walska Lotusland in Montecito, California, is all about non-succulent plants. It also gives an overview of Ganna Walska’s life and the history of Lotusland. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend that you do to have a better understanding of what was important to Madame as she continued to develop her gardens. Part 2 is about nothing but succulents. Ganna Walska liked cacti and other succulents for their architectural qualities, so there are a lot of them. In fact, some of Lotusland’s best known sights are in this category, like the thousands of cacti and cactus-like euphorbias around the main house: Around the main house Almost immediately after she bought the estate in 1941, Ganna Walska tasked landscape architect Lockwood de Forest with finding mature cacti and succulents to replace the traditional landscaping around the main house. That was a highly unusual choice back then, but it very much reflected her fondness for mass ...