Irvine Nature Pockets

Whether time doesn't permit, or you aren't too keen on traveling more than 30 miles for a small adventure, Orange County has a couple of urban nature hot spots; small pockets of greenery and relaxation that are close enough to home for even the most sedentary to enjoy.

Prior to 1959, Orange County was home to a variety of ranches, most notably 60,000 acres of lima beans on the Irvine Ranch alone. After 1,000 acres were sold for $1 to house the University of California, Irvine campus, the Irvine Company drew master plans for a city that now houses over 200,000 people. This organized city that connects to the 405 Freeway and the Pacific Coast Highway was a natural valley with hills along the southern border which now house the villages of Turtle Rock, and University Rock since 1970.

Now, long winding roads like Campus Drive nestle around the San Joaquin Marshes as planned concrete and wild nature try to live amongst one another. In the same area, nearly 2,000 years ago the Gabrielino Indians moved into the San Joaquin marshes and near the present day San Joaquin golf course. History lies deep in the middle of what is now a prosperous modern city.

To get a feel of the natural lands one doesn’t need to go far. Planned sections of Irvine, as well as preservation efforts bring nature a little closer to home. For those who live in the OC and would rather choose a more “urban natural” destination, these top three spots are green enough to be considered outdoorsy, but close enough for city dwellers to feel close to home.

Roger's Gardens:

Located on San Joaquin Hills road, Roger’s Garden’s goes above and beyond a landscaping and garden store. Both upper and lower level parking structures were to full capacity this past Sunday, where Tomatomania- according to Roger’s Gardens- the world’s largest tomato seedling sale, drew crowds with its giant tomato balloon hovering just outside the garden. Rows of Orange Russian tomatoes in vines sprouting above plastic boxes lined the tables in this outdoor sale. Actually a store, this garden is a mecca for Sunday walkers who can stroll through the outdoor store and look at the Victory Garden: “Garden to Table. Everything Edible.”

The crowd walks up and down the tables and one can hear phrases pop out amongst the bustle.

“Generally with cherry tomatoes..”

                                “I’m doing three different varieties..”

                                                                                      

“I was amazed at how sweet they were...”

The enthusiasm of gardener and onlooker alike make this lush place a wonderful place to meet people and learn  a thing or two about planting.

For non-veggie enthusiasts, flowers and trees line almost every foot of the outdoor space not displaying some lounge chair or terracotta pot. The smell of sage and blood orange trees fills the area close to the outdoor patio furniture which is available to sit and enjoy the sites as well as for sale (recliners starting at $1,885.00). Meyer lemon trees ($39.99), sit on plastic buckets a midst a floor of rock bed which lines the paths. A gazebo which in winter time houses Santa’s chair for photo-ops, lies empty with hard chairs and the only shade in sight.

The California Native section features plants that are native to California, and thus easy to grow, but their dark colors and thick leaves are similar to desert plants. The crowd thins and quiets in this section, as the lower level toward the back displays a large selection of heavy pots and fountains, where hummingbirds come skittishly to drink.

While not necessarily naturally wild, this area is a wonderful place to learn about different plants and flowers, smell a variety of different aromas, and take a brief relaxing walk through the green right in the middle of a city. This low impact workout is definitely made for the city dweller looking to learn and enjoy a bit of the California green.

Turtle Rock:

Summit of Turtle Rock

Turtle Rock, the most "natural" of these three places, was planned as part of the five villages made by the Irvine Company. Geographically, Turtle Rock is part of the San Joaquin Hills.  This low impact trail is a quarter mile long on a paved path, perfect for kids or the urban adult. At the end of the trail, which includes cement stairs, there is a lone metal bench, which looks towards the neighboring villages and the UCI campus on the right hand side.

If one decides to tackle a more difficult activity, the highest part of Turtle Rock is close at hand to the end of the trail. Climbing a staggering of rocks, with a beaten path well worn, one reaches a flat plateau where views of the UCI Information and Computer Science buildings and the Anteater Recreation Center can all be seen.

 

Rows and rows of similarly constructed houses, as if made out of the same mold, litter the lower parts of Turtle Rock. Green hills on the north face of Turtle Rock show Balmer Canyon, a small strip of dirt path downsized by perspective.



Child flies kite atop of Turtle Rock



This is the quietest, most natural of the urban nature places, with a scramble to the top that makes one gasp for breath, yet with enough panoramic city views to entice the most urban watcher. On clear nights, if you desire to venture up the rock in the night, offers spectacular views of the night skies, while lower in sights the amber glow of the city lamps is a constant presence.

The Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary:

Along Campus and University Drive the San Joaquin Marsh is the closest thing to an inner city walkway, complete with intervals of plane sounds every quarter of an hour. Interestingly enough, it also shows the most promise in respect to nature.

Great egrets and herons lay on the marsh's shore

The water reclamation plant is home to five ponds, and over 300 acres of freshwater coastal wetlands. The water is cleaned and the nitrogen removed, and allowed to continue its path to the Newport waters. Half of the ponds have been restored to their natural state, the other half not needing to be altered. It is home to a variety of wildlife, from more than 200 bird species, a variety of reptiles, and clouds of flies. Great Egrets lie in the wet marshes without moving for minutes at a time. Hummingbirds feed off of seeds placed in numbered boxes, and ducks avoid all contact with the noise of foot on gravel.

Aside from one hill, the 12 miles of trails circle the ponds and avoid the water recycling plant. Wooden bridges are lifted six inches above the muddy ground so as to let animals run through their natural habitat quiet freely. Lizards can be seen camouflaging in the brown foliage of the floor bed, as baby birds scramble from bush to bush.

The paths circle around the ponds and through bush lined areas, with two buildings towering over at the farthest end. It is the perfect blend of nature and metropolis, of green and gray. Bird calls and plane sounds mingle together in a cacophony of Sunday tunes. Wooden benches show the impact of the people on nature, which is not necessarily bad. Campus classes come to the marshes often to study the habitats of the ecosystems in the marshes and what they can do to preserve them for city dwellers in the years to come.

Adventure comes to those who seek it. Whether it be at the highest peak of Turtle Rock, or the crowd of veggie lovers at Roger’s Garden, there’s an outdoor adventure awaiting any Irvine resident. And a natural place in a big city to call home.