... and probably my last. Riverside, CA itself is a paradise of beautiful gardens, especially in Spring when the Jacarandas are in bloom. The UCR campus is beautiful as well, but I found the official university gardens underwhelming. They just seemed unloved.
One disappointment was the lack of signs. Some of the paths simply ended in impenetrable brambles and in one case mud. Many of the paths turned out to be unconnected so that after venturing up or down one or the other the only way to go further was by going back the way one came. At none of the places I went did I see any signs indicating which way the exit was, or the rose gardens, or anything. Some of the trees had name tags with very little other information, some of them did not. There were some nice benches and a few attractions, such as a pond that was overrun with turtles, and a tree climbing lizard.
The box that said maps at the entrance held detailed parking regulations for all of the lots outside, but no take away map showing how to get around inside the garden. There was a display showing prices for some brochures, but no way to buy them. There was nobody at the information booth, such strong suggestions that a minimum of $5 ought to be deposited in support of the gardens.
But my biggest disappointment in being here was that there was no evidence of any part of the gardens being handicapped accessible. Usually in a place of this size there at least one nice section where people with walkers or other mobility devices can go and sit in an attractive shaded area and read a book or whatever while family members venture further in. One of my favorite botanical gardens is the one in Fort Bragg, where they rent mobility scooters and clearly mark which trails may be used with them. Another favorite is near Sonoma, where they take handicapped visitors in a golf cart to particular areas and come back and pick them up at a prearranged time. When I visit botanical gardens on the way to other travel destinations I usually have a delightful WWII vet in tow. He is almost 100 years old and can walk, but slowly and with a rollator or some other device that he can use to sit and rest. Having the gardens accessible to him allows me to enjoy them in a way that I otherwise could not. I very seldom leave him home alone, but this time I am glad I did.
In a few weeks we will take our first look at the LA Arboreatum. I am really looking forward to that!