The Glorious Gardens at the Hotel Bel-Air

I have been meaning to post some photos of the gardens at the Hotel Bel-Air where I stayed with the intrepid Nancy B (aka the B) on my recent "mini-cay" in southern California. The gardens definitely offered an opportunity to re-acquaint myself with an older (and more cantankerous) camera -- the Olympus Utz.  For the record, it still has a mind of its own when focusing and it still performs just "so so" in low light.  On the positive side, it's a lot smaller and easier to carry around than my usual travel companion (the Olumpus 520 DSLR).

I've waxed rhapsodic about the Bel-Air in a review, Oasis in a Big City, on TripAdvisor.  It is a great hotel that came out of a two-year renovation ready to host the Hollywood elite -- and folks like me -- for another decade or so.  As for the flowers -- it's clear that a lot of hard work goes into the gardens and grounds and that work pays off in a big way.

They grow them big and showy in southern California.....

On a smaller scale -- but freshly watered....

If the above are too showy, feast your eyes on the white roses.....

And, if you climb up behind the 2nd to last tier of rooms, a little vegetable garden to reward your troubles.....