Vintage Photo Friday - Lotus Festival

1985 Lotus Festival, Echo Park Lake

I used to like to visit Echo Park Lake every year around my birthday in July, either during or just after the Lotus Festival because that's when the lotuses were blossoming and at their best. The story of how the lotus blossoms came to Echo Park is shrouded in confusion.  There are many conflicting stories of who brought the lotus plant to Echo Park.  You can read about it here. 

The Bridge at Echo Park Lake, 1985

About 5 or 6 years ago, the lotus plants started to die.  The flowers did not bloom in the Lake every summer.  Recently, Echo Park Lake has been dredged, refurbished, revitalized and rehabilitated.  It reopened a few weeks ago to great success. Cuttings were taken from the lotus beds illegally, years ago by horticulturist, Randy McDonald.   His act of thievery saved the lotuses at the Lake.  Without McDonald's lotus cuttings, this beautiful plant would have been lost from the Park.

1985.  Picnic at Echo Park.

There is still netting and there are special underwater fences around the lotus beds to protect the plants until they grow stronger.  I'm just happy that the lotus plants have returned to Echo Park Lake.  

 

New Lotus Plants with Protective Netting @ Echo Park Lake.  Photo from Eastsider L.A.

Visit the new lotus plants at Echo Park Lake!  Have a wonderful Summer weekend!