Tuesday, March 17, 2009

San Diego 1935: Botanical Building and Gardens.....

The Botanical Building and Gardens were located on the north side of the Avenida de Palacios, between the Café of the World and the Palace of Foods and Beverages. The large redwood-lath covered building, and the adjoining Botanical Gardens, functioned much the same for the California-Pacific International Exposition as they had during the 1915-16 exposition. Rare varieties of tropical plants, ferns, vines, and delicate flowers thrived within the building and its heated conservatory; while the gardens outside were planted with many types of palms and flowering shrubs. A fountain was added to the small lagoon, directly in front of the building, which produced sprays of water in a rainbow of changing colors during the evening hours. The large water-lily filled Laguna de las Flores, extending towards Avenida de Palacios, was re-named Laguna de Espejo because of its smooth mirror-like surface which reflected picturesque views of the surrounding architecture and landscaping.

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