Our Summer Night at SD Botanic Garden

This was my second visit to San Diego Botanic Garden and Steve's first.

We were there for Summer Nights where we can "Take advantage of longer days and beautiful warm weather with the return of Summer Nights! On select Thursdays in July and August, enjoy live music and special performances, nosh on a selection of treats paired with beverages, and stroll the Garden at sunset."

We began with an explore of the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory, a state-of-the-art, 8,000 sq. ft. glass-enclosed facility that opened in 2019. The conservatory provides a unique public educational space and also allows the Garden to expand its plant collection to include rare and unusual tropical plants from around the world. The current exhibit is Savage Gardens.

The Real and Imaginary World of Carnivorous Plants showcases the bizarre and captivating world of meat-eating plants. In addition to a collection of real carnivorous species on display, we received a bug’s-eye perspective with three larger-than-life installations inside and around the Conservatory. Featuring multiple Sarracenia Trumpets, a walk-in Fanged Pitcher Plant Nepenthes, and a moving, interactive Venus Flytrap, all installations offered incredible interpretations of these unique plants.

"Due to the lack of nutrients in the soil where Nepenthes grow, these plants have developed unique relationships with animals. While some species coexist and find shelter within the pitchers, others become trapped and are digested for nutrients."

"Attracted by a mixture of nectar, scent, and colorful patterns, animals find their way to the rim of the pitcher to enjoy nectar secreted from the base of the lid. The rim, or peristome, is slippery from rain or plant liquid. Some species can control when they release liquid onto the rim in order to lure more insects to the pitcher.

Once the prey, which can range from small insects to small lizards, birds, and mice depending on the pitcher size, slips on the rim, they fall into the pitcher cup that contains a mix of digestive juices and trapped water. Their dissolved bodies will eventually be absorbed by the plant."

We met up with Brady and her daughter for an evening of all things wonderful at the Botanic Garden, including being prey for a life-sized pitcher plant!

Did you know Dionaea muscipula, or Venus Flytrap is among the most commonly known carnivorous plants, infamous for the quick movement of its snap trap? Native to wet and sandy pine savannas of North and South Carolina, these plants can live up to 20 years in the wild.

Flytraps remain relatively small and grow in low rosettes of leaves coming from underground rhizomes. Contrary to their appearance, they are not sharp and cannot harm humans. However, they are deadly to small insects that trigger their traps to close, beginning a slow process of digesting the prey.

In addition to trapping crawling insects and spiders, flytraps use photosynthesis to create energy needed for growth. Can you imagine what one this size would capture? Wow.

And how cool are the Sarracenia? This carnivorous plant is indigenous to the eastern seaboard of the United States, Texas, the Great Lakes area and southeastern Canada, with most species occurring only in the southeast United States. The plant's leaves have evolved into a funnel or pitcher shape in order to trap insects. Meat-eating plants are very, very cool indeed and what a great place in which to see them and learn more about each species, up close.

In addition to plant ogling, we also had the opportunity for music listening (and a little dancing, too).

"Round up friends and family for a fun outdoor concert on the Gazebo Lawn. Billy Lee and the Gulf Coasters are returning to the Garden to share upbeat music described as gumbo jazz and vintage swing. Billy Lee and the Gulf Coasters play locally and around the world. This band is a show band and their music is made to dance to!"