I have arbitrarily split the Madagascar Spiny Forest at the Los Angeles County Arboretum into two portions, roughly larger and smaller plants. This installation is a must for anyone planning to visit Madagascar or for those obsessed with succulents. The Madagascar Spiny Forest at Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden was the brainchild of Superintendent Timothy Phillips. Fascinated with unusual plants since childhood, it is no wonder that Tim developed an interest in Malagasy plants later in life. This new garden nicely complements nearby collections (South Africa, Australia, New World succulents, cacti), the Water Conservation Garden, and other gardens featuring plants from the mediterranean climate regions of the world. Though it had challenges, the Spiny Forest definitely meets the landscape requirements for a collection that tolerates and, in fact, thrives with low water consumption. Tim’s passion for this project and the resulting garden experience is actually understated in his comments:
”The Madagascar collection was and is an experiment of sorts, one that pushes the horticultural limits. It’s an adventure of the spiniest kind, and I have the pin-cushion memories to prove it! I wanted to create an immersion experience, one that would take our guests to an alien land—one that arouses curiosity, intrigue, and amazement. It is supposed to be a fun, interactive, botanical, and horticultural experience, with a subtle conservation education message.”
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