If you have not already guessed, I love Disney. And seeing as Cars Land just recently opened, I was thrilled about heading down to the happiest place on earth. And to my excitement, it certainly did not disappoint. While most people were snapping their photos of Mater and the other characters of Cars, I was getting my plant geek on!
If you have seen the movie Cars, you will know just how amazing this recreation is! It looks just like Radiator Springs! And for all the plant geeks among us, check out those epic plantings. Those yucca, those cacti!!!
I'm not really sure if this is yucca rostrata but it certainly looks like the blue that I love of 'sapphire skies.' Either way I vowed to myself to have a yucca like this one day.
And the yellow hesperaloe parviflora that I have been lusting after!! I need one!
In fact, everywhere I looked I was struck with plant envy.
Oh and there's more! Agave medio picta alba! How did they know?! This is one of my absolute favourite plants around. Combined with the soft purple flowers and green foliage these things pop!
And they were not the only things popping. - My eye balls were bulged and popped out of my face with excitement. If you haven't seen it, true story, when the crazy eyes come out you know I'm excited.
Doesn't this just speak to your heart!?
And another thing that speaks to me heart ... brahea armata! Oh Disney, oh the magic! They really do know how to speak to the heart of palm nut!
I was even more impressed to see this ... Informative plant geek signs!
Well I'll leave you with the finish of my favourite Radiator Springs Racers ... complete with saguaro cactus of course!!!
I must admit I'm clueless about Cars (even though I have an addicted nephew) but wowza, love that landscape. Go Disney!
ReplyDeleteIn a situation like that where you're blown away by the plants do you ever stop and look at the people around you who couldn't seem to care less and wonder what's wrong with them? (of course my nephew could be wondering about my sanity to, beings as I've never even seen his fav movie).
Oh Cars is pretty fantastic. The landscape is really amazing. It was honestly hard to believe your eyes.
DeleteSome people did give me some funny looks as I kneeled and crouched and got all up in the plants. But you're right, they're the crazy ones!
Loved this post! I had read a short article that gave only a glimpse of the plants and thought it would be fun to see. Glad to get a tour from a certified desert plant geek. Disney always does things well, purple lantana usually doesn't show up on its own but works great with the agave.
ReplyDeleteDisney always does such a good job right down to the hilarious and so appropriate signage. The canyon lighting is great.
Thanks!!! I love the way does their plantings. It's my dream to work as an imagineer for disney... planning the gardens.
DeleteWow! This really is the happiest place on earth. Beautiful desert plants. Looks like you had a great time.
ReplyDeleteIt is the happiest place! I had such a great time!!!!
DeleteSPEECHLESS! At the plants and at how well they made it look like the movie - I have seen this with my boy countless times and LOOOOOOOOOOooooooove it! Cars 2 was not nearly as good :( and way to violent for kids! Oh yeah...this is a garden blog! sorry!
ReplyDeletethey made it absolutely amazing! You and your boy would looove Cars Land. It's a personal favourite of mine :)
DeleteI think my comment evaporated! Another try: A reason to re-visit Disneyland; last time there was 1990! There's a "Radium Springs" 200 miles S of me, but someone told me that Cars and "Radiator Springs" were based on the area along old Rt 66 near Peach Springs AZ. Been there - red rocks, clumps of Agave utahensis (!!), and signs like in photo #2 near Hackberry AZ. What a cool display w/ So Cal plant embellishments. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSince I'm 100 yards south of Rt 66, I should post on spiky plants and other changes on the 500+ mile route to my house.
uh oh! blogger does that sometimes. You have not been since 1990?! crazy! It is based on the old route 66... its absolutely amazing. I love the theming. Apparently when they built Cars Land, they took the imagineers on a road trip of route 66 before they started their planning. They wanted everyone working on the project to have experienced the sights and people along the way.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see some rt. 66 spiky plant posts!!!