Nature is a constant source of inspiration, especially now that the weather is warmer. One of our favorite gardens is Lotusland in Montecito, California, which includes a variety of exceptional plants. Opera singer, Madame Ganna Walska, who owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984, created the 37-acre botanic garden. Madame Walska had a colorful history that included marrying six times. She bought the estate while married to her last husband. After divorcing him, she christened her estate, Lotusland, named after the lotus growing in one of the ponds on the property. She spent the next 40 years transforming her grounds into a fantasy world of botanical wonders. -Jessie