It’s my goal to visit Lotusland. I tried to go two years ago, but tickets were sold out. Last year, during Covid, it was closed to visitors. I’ll try again this summer, aiming for the bloom season of lotus in August, but now that it’s June I’m worried that I waited too long. I bet you’re asking yourself, “What in the heck is Lotusland?”
Most people have never heard of this place, even those of us who’ve lived in California for over twenty-five years, as I have. And yet it sells out of tour tickets every year, so something about it is intriguing. Lotusland is a private estate garden, recognized as one of the best gardens in the world. It was built in 1941 by Madame Ganna Walska, a Polish opera singer and socialite. After her death in 1984, the garden became a non-profit botanic site, open to the public.
Lotusland has one of the largest collections of exotic and tropical plants in the world. The only way to book tickets is to call and talk to a real person. Isn’t that quaint? Even before Covid this was unusual, but after our mass lockdown and forced reliance on internet connections, it seems incredible.
I’m calling to ask about tickets as soon as they start answering their phones – wish me luck!