This is how the Earthside Nature Center looked in 2008. That’s when I first explored the site. Despite the sturdy wood post entrance, Earthside was but a ruin of its former self. But there were remnants of its past glory.
Though encased in cobwebs, the kiosk next to the entrance was covered by solid wood shake roof. That roof protected the kiosk walls and preserved a good part of the Earthside story — a story that went back to 1971.
On the walls were plastic covered pictures, yellowed with age, of the people whose hard work made Earthside happen. Wood plaques bore the names of donors and volunteers. Community support would follow with school field trips to Earthside. National recognition came in 1989 as Earthside received the award for urban beautification from the American Horticulture Association.
In that kiosk was the story of what transpired there decades ago. I could imagine the pride and satisfaction of those who founded Earthside, shoveled the dirt, planted the seeds, donated the funds, and helped create acres of natural beauty.
But, time moves on, people pass, volunteers get tired, funds dry up and gardens die without care. By 2008, Earthside had been neglected for more than a decade. The site was a mess of weeds, dead plants and gopher holes.
But a remnant remained and, from that remnant, it was easy to see Earthside had been something special — really special. I caught the vision, did a little research, took a lot of pictures and in December, 2008, published my first Earthside post, titled Secret Garden. I returned again and again. I brought the kids and we picked wild grapes.
Photo from 2008. Overtaken by weeds, a bench sits in a field amid four sycamore trees.
It looked like the bench was in a field of weeds and it was. But, if you looked carefully through the weeds, you could still see California poppies holding forth. Piecing it all together it was not hard to imagine someone sitting on that bench, under the sycamores, in the midst of a field of wildflowers, a million miles from the city.
And, in fact, that’s how it was. A 1985 LA Times piece ran photos of Longfellow students on a field trip to Earthside. The Times reporter described the site as “a show place for 500 species of California’s native wildflowers every spring.” That’s how it was.
Earthside Today
Almost a year ago I revisited Earthside. This is what I saw. I walked the site and had a nice conversation with a gentleman living there. Sans the entrance, there is little left of the old, once nationally recognized, native garden.
A Next Chapter for the Earthside Story
The City of Pasadena has chosen this site for its Eaton Wash Stormwater Capture Project. Water means money and that money is apparently available to revive some of the Earthside vision. Here is the current Site Concept Design that is out for public comment. The city website projects final design by Spring 2026 and construction in 2026 and 2027.
It has been about 30 years since the Earthside site has been planted, tended and used. It will be a joy to see the site green, maintained and open to the public. Many trees remain on site including oaks, toyon, sycamores that provide a great starting point for a garden. I am not too keen on devoting part of the site to a dog park. There are better uses for scarce natural open space. But, otherwise, the next chapter for Earthside looks promising.
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