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Botanical Building, Balboa Park

The Most Photographed Building
(1 of 16) (14339 views)

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The Botanical Building with its huge lilly pond out front was reported to be the most photographed building in the park.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:52:29 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9446
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Lilly Pads On Stand
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Mid pond out front was a stand with lillies growing one it. There was no sign describing these lillies.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:53:19 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9449
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Blooms On Lilly Pads
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A few of the lilly pads in the pond out front were in bloom that October day. It was not clear if the insect needed for propagation existed in San Diego.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:53:49 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9450
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Giant Lilly Pads
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The lilly pond included examples of the Giant Lilly Pads internal link (Victoria amazonica) of the Amazon in Peru.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:53:52 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9451
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Alfred D. Robinson
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A sign in the entry-way read:

Alfred D. Robinson
1866-1942

Founding President
San Diego Floral Association
1907

Renowned begonia grower A.D. Robinson originated the use of a "lath house" for displaying plants at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. He was the first editor of California Garden magazine. The lath Botanical Building is a signature landmark in Balboa Park.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:56:50 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9460
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Lath Building Seen Inside
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The curved ceiling of the lath building could be seen from the inside. The use of lath allowed the plants to grow under natural light, wit a free exchange of air from the outside.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:57:06 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9461
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Young pineapple plant
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An example of a young pineapple internal link plant was on exhibit in a bucket.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:58:22 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9464
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Blood Leaf (Iresine lindenii)
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An example of the Blood Leaf external link plant from Ecuador was on exhibit. Although a modest sized plant, the leaves were a dramatic color.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:00:16 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9471
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Lovely Mixture Of Colors
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The gardens featured lovely combinations of plants and colors and wonderful aromas. Because of the open lath, the garden was very quiet.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:04:10 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9475
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Huge Trees Outside
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Because of the clarity of the lath, huge mature trees could be seen growing just outside the building. The effect was to make the garden feel as if it were outside.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:09:13 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9477
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Humorous Sign
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The carnivorous plants were protected using a humorous sign:

Please do not touch or throw thing at the carnivorous plants. Violators will be fed to the plants.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:10:34 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9481
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Clown Fig Tree (Ficus aspera)
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A fine example of a Clown Fig Tree internal link from the Moraceae, South Pacific Island.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:12:33 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9484
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Plants Around A Stone
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A weathered boulder was used as the centerpiece to an exhibit of several kinds of garden flowers.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:20:50 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9509
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Isle Inside
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The inside front of the building was an isle that allowed quick access to the various garden exhibits. It was also the quickest way to the exit.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:21:24 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9510
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Lath Seen From Outside
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The curve of the lath building could be easily seen from the building's exterior. Built for the 1915-16 Exposition, along with the adjacent Lily Pond, this historic Botanical Building is one of the largest lath structures in the world.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:22:29 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9512
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Another View Of The Front
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Here was another view of the front seen after walking counter-clockwise around the building.


Botanical Building   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Saturday 29 January 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:30:56 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9523
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