Wisteria Hysteria
If you happen to be near the Highland Park Gold Line Metro Station, do stop by and take a moment to smell the Wisteria that is currently in full bloom. It’s one thing to see this lovely white and lavender flowering vine, its another, to walk beneath it, and smell its rich bounty.
The MTA designers that planned out this station with its craftsman style elements that compliment the greater Highland Park area, made an excellent choice in making this wisteria vine the showpiece plant for the station. After 5 years, the vine has filled out most of its trellis, and with every March it explodes into its full floral beauty.
All this despite all the original vegetation, and irrigation being trampled out years ago. Thanks to MTA’s Diversified Landscape Company, our station has some of the most unique landscaping in the system. To make their jobs as easy as possible, the landscapers have trimmed all the shrubs, including the roses, into tiny bonsai-like cubes. (If you are ever waiting at the station, you may noticed that the best-looking, fully-grown vegetation tends to be the plants that are on the other side of the tracks, away from the side where they can easily access and attack each week.)
Depending on weather, the bloom lasts for two to three weeks. And with warm weather expected over the next few days, this should be the last week for this year’s flowers.
Our wisteria may pale in comparison to Sierra Madre’s famed wisteria, but it, just like Highland Park, perseveres and continues to grow despite the odds against it.
I look forward yearly to the smell of Wisteria. Your last photo is a winner. I take the Goldline to cultural events in Los Angeles so I’ll likely see the vine soon. BTW: I worked for a couple of years in the long metal warehouse thats located next to the station. Back when it was a part of Ivers department store.
i think i saw you at this station last week. i was getting off the train after work and you were with your daughter, talking on your cell phone. if i recall correctly, you were both in green so it must have been st. patrick’s day. i wanted to say hello but i didn’t want to seem like dumb fangirl interrupting your phone call. so i say HELLO here instead! i’ll look for the wisteria today. and thanks for letting me know what it’s actually called. i’ve noticed it around town lately and have just been referring to it as “those pretty flowers.”
it is beautifull
Walterrr
This coming Saturday is the San Gabriel Valley Bloggers picnic. All are welcome. Bloggers, friends of bloggers, non-haters of bloggers, mildly pissed off at bloggers. At Farnsworth Park in Altadena Take Lake exit off the 210 and head for the hills. March 28. Starts at noon. Try to bring a dish, but if you forget, nevermind. Stay a minute, stay a few hours. 12 to 4
@Milla: That was me. Sorry I missed you. I was pretty distracted by my daughter who had an epic meltdown at Union Station while we were on a field trip with her pre-school to see the Saint Patrick’s Day parade Downtown. That was us having to detour straight home, rather than return to school. Ug.
@P.A.: Thanks for the invite. I saw frazgo just posted this on metblogs. Sounds like fun, but I will have to miss for an endless weekend of kid’s birthday parties! Yay me.