Friday, March 06, 2015

Ferndell



On my last trip to Hollywood, Willis was in tow. I asked a friend for recommendations of places to go that would be dog-friendly, and he recommended Ferndell at Griffith Park. Huh? What the hell is that? I looked it up and learned that it was a shaded walking path that I had driven by zillions of times without paying it any attention.

This little slice of paradise has been there since 1914 when Griffith Park Superintendent Frank Shearer figured out that the area's micro-climate could support semi-tropical species and began adding ferns to the canyon. To encourage visitors, paths, benches, terraced pools, bridges, and faux bois elements were added. Today's first shot is from a vintage postcard. Dig the heavy message typed on the back!



The entry sign:



It was fairly warm the weekend we visited, so this lush shaded area was an oasis with its verdant plants and abundant water features.





Next time you go to Griffith Park, stop at this beautiful little spot before you jet on up to the Observatory!



See more Daveland Ferndell photos at my main website.

2 comments:

K. Martinez said...

I love discovering little places like this from within the urban landscape. Wonderful photos today. This week you've been on a roll with your non-Disneyland blog posts. I've thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks, Dave.

Irene said...

I've known of this since childhood (the '50's) as my parents used to love picnics at Griffith Park and we would hike along Ferndale quite often. Great memories.