This weekend, our trek is 507 miles long each way, which is how far my Aunt and Uncle in Santa Barbara live away from us. California had an exceptionally wet winter. One particular time we had considered visiting but decided against it because all roads in and out of Santa Barbara had been closed due to them being washed out or covered in mud due to landslides. After too much delay due to wet weather, we arrive on a beautiful weekend.

Visiting Santa Barbara, California, to visit Uncle Woody and Tata; some dishes are getting cleaned before we go for lunch. This was our first visit since Christmas and was long overdue. Just after the weekend, we learned that Tata’s brother Mike isn’t doing well. Caroline and I visited with Uncle Mike in Buffalo, New York, back in 2000, and later, as Mike and Penny made their last trip to California.

Following the rains, the mountains, gardens, and yards are vibrantly green and lush, which leads us to the decision that we have to go to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. Nestled into Mission Canyon and only a mile and a half from the historic Santa Barbara Mission, the Garden, a state historic site, has been welcoming visitors for more than 75 years.

This weekend and for the coming two years, Toad Hall, pictured to the right, will be on display. Created by artist Patrick Dougherty, this environmental sculpture is a two-story willow tower with a maze of pathways and chambers. The inspiration for Mr. Dougherty’s work was taken from the book The Wind in the Willows. If you would like to see how Toad Hall was built, visit these pages on the Garden’s website.

Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, where we have what appears to be a mere handful of native species, mostly consisting of cactus and more cactus, the seemingly infinite number of plant species here in Santa Barbara strikes a stark contrast. It was this diversity that first drew us to the Garden on a previous visit. Short of walking Santa Barbara’s hilly streets and stopping to gaze at individual private gardens, a visit to the Botanic Garden really is the best way to acquaint yourself with the plants of California.

Continuing into the Garden, deeper in the canyon, a path leads you through a small grove of coastal redwoods and clusters of fern. Conveniently located throughout the park are comfortable benches for taking a moment or two to relax, listen, and feel your surroundings. On any given day outside of California’s notorious torrential downpours, you can expect a wonderfully pleasant day here at the Garden.

A small creek running through the Garden is momentarily stopped at the Mission Dam. Water spilling over the enclosure adds to the ambiance of sound and vision as we meander under the heavy canopy of trees towering overhead. Further down the canyon, visitors have the opportunity to cross the creek, hopping from stone to stone – if they so wish.

With so much moisture and heavy tree cover, a redwood’s favorite lays a carpet of clover over the ground, offering a magic blend of shadowy greens and giving rise to thoughts of emerald islands and elfin mysteries. Not only is the Garden busy with plant life, but there is also an abundance of wildlife to be enjoyed here too. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is visited by 123 species of birds, some year-round.

Other animal life includes turtles, who occasionally perch themselves on nearby rocks to catch some of those famous California rays. On a previous visit, we watched a harmless garter snake slither over the trail. Butterflies and honeybees also make the Garden their home. I’m sure that if Caroline and I had more time here at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden we would continue to discover new inhabitants here in this little slice of paradise.

We enjoy these walks through the trees, stopping to smell the flowers, look at the birds, and listen to the water bubbling by, but our visit to Santa Barbara is also about visiting family, and so after what seems to be the shortest of visits we depart and almost immediately talk of plans to come back as soon as possible. After dinner later in the day, we stay up late talking with Uncle Woody and Tata (Aunt Anne) before heading to sleep so we catch 40 winks and are well rested for our long drive home on Sunday.