What was once a cattle and citrus farm in the early 1900s has been transformed into a botanical treasure located in the midst of the teeming Los Angeles basin. California Heartland visited Huntington Gardens and discovered an oasis of beauty. Henry Huntington purchased the San Marino estate in 1903. "Huntington was interested in plants and their value for the human population," said Jim Folsom, Director of the Huntington Gardens. Today, The Huntington offers 15 distinct gardens, with a total of 150 acres to explore. Some of the gardens you can tour include the desert garden, the herb garden, the rose garden and the Japanese garden. "Plants are absolutely basic to all life. And we believe in that sincerely and we hope to convey that to our visitors," offered Folsom. If you would like to be one of those visitors you can call The Huntington information line at (626) 405-2141. Along with the botanical gardens, The Huntington is also home to a world-class art collection and a renowned library of rare books and manuscripts. If you have questions or comments about this story, please E-mail us at calheart@kvie.org.