My New Mission is to see all the Missions...First Stop: San Juan Capistrano

It's not like I've never been to any of the California missions before, but I seem to have a renewed interest in the early history of our state, in particular, that era before California was even a state. Hopefully one of the more desirable symptoms of getting older (and therefore more obsessed with the notion of antiquity).


Gil & I have been to the Santa Barbara mission a couple times over the past 10 years, and have been to Mission San Juan Capistrano once almost 20 years ago. I enjoyed those visits, but that's about all I can say or recall of those bygone times.


With this week off for my summer vacation, and Gil only free for a couple days in the mix, I thought it would be fun for a relaxing day trip to revisit the Mission at San Juan Capistrano. So that we did yesterday, and boy - all I can say is that it was really an amazing, fantastico experience. Wonder why I didn't think that the first time around? Well, I can answer that question. Back in the day, I simply was not the gardening fanatic that I am now. And who wouldn't go totally apey/gaga over the gardens at this mission?!

6/30/10

The mission at San Juan Capistrano was founded on November 1, 1776 by Junipero Serra, a Franciscan friar, born in Majorca, Spain in 1713, who made his way to Mexico, Baja California, and then Alta California to establish 9 of 21 missions over the course of 54 years. These missions span from San Diego all the way north to Sonoma. 

Their mission? To convert the Native Americans to Christianity, and bring them into the fold of civilization (and, by inference, creating new loyal subjects for the mother country of Espana). Be that as it may, and however you want to argue the pros and cons of the padres' divine directives, at their height the missions herded hundreds of thousands of cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats, and were largely self-sustaining communities. Pretty impressive for such rustic establishments. By 1833, the missions were secularized under Mexico's secularization laws, with dire consequences for the thousands of Native Americans who were supposed to inherit these lands, but who largely ended up with nada through force or subterfuge, which are often two sides of the same coin. Needless to say, thus also began the decline of many of the missions' grounds and structures. For more on the history of the California missions, check out  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_missions_in_California 

So here we are today (or rather yesterday). We joined a free tour of the gardens at Mission San Juan Capistrano with a docent, a lovely lady, originally from England with great accent and matching sense of humor. 

6/30/10 Front Garden. Clockwise, left to right: Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae), Roses, Geranium (potted), and Statice (Limonium perezii).

6/30/10 Front Garden. Birds of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae). 

Mind you, most of these plantings are not original to the mission, but were lovingly planned & installed by a volunteer group of devotees, who wanted to bring some joie de vivre back to the grounds which had kind of gone to the weeds after years of neglect. They've done an amazing job!

6/30/10 Front Garden. Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) & Wand flower (Gaura lindheimeri).

6/30/10 Raised pond in Front Garden. Koi in reverse-cross-eyed mode. 

Bougainvillea around statue of Fray Serra in front of the ruins of the Great Stone Church, which was mostly destroyed by an earthquake on December 8, 1812. 

Front Garden. Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha), Lion's Tail (Leonotis spp.), Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea).

Front Garden. Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.).

Central Courtyard. Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica).

Central Courtyard. Jacaranda Trees in full lavender-hued bloom (Jacaranda mimosifolia).

Central Courtyard.

Central Courtyard. Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo).

Bougainvillea & Jacaranda Trees.

Central Courtyard.

Statice (Limonium perezii). Central Courtyard.

Central Courtyard.

Raised Pond in Central Courtyard.

View of Central Courtyard from Desert Garden.

Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata). Desert Garden.

Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) and Parry's Agave (Agave parryi). Desert Garden.

Dasylirion spp. Central Courtyard.

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milli). Central Courtyard.

Central Courtyard.

Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta). Tallest tree at the mission.

In my unbridled enthusiasm, I took over 200 photos whilst here, so I will have to separate the wheat from the chaff and be judicious in my postings. I'll add more if I think they're worth it. For the full gallery, go to http://camissonia.smugmug.com/Travel/Mission-San-Juan-Capistrano/12788473_24TEW#921837451_Eyn8G

But now I'm revved up for a new mission. Got to see all the California missions sometime in my lifetime. Fuggedabout the "1000 Places to See Before You Die" thing. You really only need 21.