What to Know
- Nessie the Pumpkin Sea Serpent is an autumn tradition at Descanso Gardens
- La Cañada Flintridge
- On view through October
- Included with daytime admission; "Carved," the evening event at the garden, is a separate ticket
- The garden's seasonal Pumpkin House is now on view, too
The Golden State isn't without its fascinating legends, the tales celebrating the incredible cryptids that roam the redwoods — hey, Bigfoot — or the beautiful Mojave, a region that is synonymous with the mysterious Yucca Man.
But lake monsters swimming around California? Is that a thing?
Well, yes, and we couldn't miss out on celebrating our state's submerged superstars, from Lake Tahoe's Tahoe Tessie to Elsie, the underwater icon of Lake Elsinore.
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Southern California has its own watery wonder, a sizable and sweet monster that rises each October.
Of course, Nessie is built by creative humans at Descanso Gardens, so we can't call her a tradition cryptid.
But the impressive pumpkin-covered sculpture is a longtime fall favorite, one of the winsome signs that autumn has truly and officially arrived at the La Cañada Flintridge garden.
You can spy Nessie, who sits in a small-ish water feature not far from the garden entrance, throughout October. She'll be on view during the sunny hours for daytime guests and also during "Carved," the garden's separately ticketed evening event.
Nessie isn't the only seasonal sight that regulars of Descanso Gardens anticipate: The Pumpkin House, which is a wee, step-inside structure covered with gourds, is also now on view as October begins.
Whether the Descanso Gardens pumpkin serpent is acquainted with Elsie of Lake Elsinore or Tahoe Tessie remains, thrillingly, an enduring California enigma.
