Among its gardens, the University of Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden has an impressive collection of plants and trees from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They grow well here because the climate and soil conditions are similar between these faraway places and Santa Cruz. (Image is one of the Southern Hemisphere plants. Click to see the larger version. When the larger version opens, you can then click the right pointing arrow to view every image in this post at its full resolution.)
There is also a garden of California native plants favored by butterflies and hummingbirds. The hummingbirds were chattering, performing mating displays, and sipping on the succulent nectar of the many plants in bloom. (Image might be a rufous hummingbird.)
I enjoyed every garden through which I wandered--plants with smells, succulents, drought tolerant plants, and more. But for me, the southern hemisphere were my favorite. Their shapes, colors, and seed pods were quite foreign looking to me. I think that's what made them special.
Note the bug on the yellow flower.
The yellow interloper.
