Desert Plants: A Curator’s Introduction to the Huntington Desert Garden (The Huntington Library Garden Series)

This year the Huntington celebrates the centennial of its spectacular desert garden, one of the largest such collections of cacti and other succulents in the world. Visitors to the twelve-acre garden marvel at its more than 3,000 species, including the vivid blue and green Puya, a rare type of bromeliad; the Lithops, or “living stone,” whose camouflaged leaves mimic the shape and color of rocks; and the dazzling red, orange, and yellow torch-like blooms of the winter-flowering aloe.

In this beautifully illustrated volume, Lyons draws on decades of experience with these unusual specimens to explore the Huntington’s desert garden. He tells of its early development, describes its principal collections, and gives instructions on the care and landscaping of desert gardens.