Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain ~ Sneak Peak to The Elegant and Enchanting Garden Tour

The Otherworldly Garden

Step through iron gates, patterned in intricate loops and twists as if rendered in European lace. Walk past the densely planted perimeter onto the brick covered courtyard, where a bronze medallion is polished by tires passing over it. Enter the world apart created by Spanish artist Maria del Carmen Calvo and her husband, Dr. Walter L. Henry.

Photography by Gene Sasse

The garden has been child and muse to the European-trained artist. What is now her largest masterpiece began like a gesso covered canvas; the couple’s vision of paradise forming in her imagination. In maturity, there are now remaining but two trees, a vine, and a house rendered as an italicized letter “L” from the once inauspicious landscape.

The orchid room once housed a hot tub 

For the next 30 years, the vision and hands of master artist Calvo sculpted, crafted and made real a garden which regales the senses in a sensual symphony.

The olive allée

Outdoor rooms are strung like jewels along pathways. Two story windows and doors left ajar evaporate the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. 

Even on the hottest days, the air is cool while strolling under the shade of arbors decorated with the muted shades of English-style roses. Their fragrance joined in delicious seasonal waves of perfume notes from wisteria, lavender and Brugmansia x candida (Angel’s trumpet) 'Double white'.

Water features abound. Some days, egrets dive into the lily pond in hopes of catching a koi for dinner. 

The patio fountain was a gift from a friend

A fountain on the patio serves as the headwaters of a rill pointing to the Pacific Ocean. Hummingbirds dart downward from their nests to sip from the arching waters along the length of the Lilliputian canal. Smaller birds- and sometimes the family dog- lap up the shallow waters at the endpoint basin.  

This journey  into the otherworldly beauty of a painting come to life is just one five gardens The Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain is featuring in support of Plant Biology Scholarships and the “Year of the Rose” garden at the Mission Viejo Library. 

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2014

Time: 10 AM until 4 PM

To order Tickets for the self-guided tour, or for more information, please click here, or phone (949) 837- 2141. 

All images on this post  are by Gene Sasse, used with permission. 

Until we meet again, Thank YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful.