The Boddy House is based in the picturesque surroundings of the Descanso Gardens, a privately owned 150 acre sprawl of trees, green spaces and beautiful flowers. The house was built by the garden's founder E. Manchester Boddy in 1937, and built himself a luxurious two storey mansion with 22 rooms. The mansion overlooks 25 wooded acres in the centre of the gardens, and is accessed via a camellia-lined driveway.
The approach to the mansion takes one's breath away, as you walk up through the trees with occasional glimpses of birds in the trees. The Boddy House is not overly oppulent, and was clearly designed as somewhere to live rather than somewhere to show off. This being said, in 2007 the Boddy House played host to the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, and in its heyday saw numerous parties attended by the Hollywood royalty of the time.
The interior is decorated in classical Hollywood Regency style. The room list contains such pearls as a fully equipped powder room, Mr Boddy's botanical study, a red carpet foyer and a solarium. The master bedroom is equipped with a four poster bed, and has incredible views out over the woods to the San Gabriel mountains.
The house is well worth a look if you can find a tour that will take you in. Access to the Descanso Gardens is simple enough, as it is open to the public (for a small charge) all year round, but the house remains a private residence, though sometimes opens its doors for functions or tours. Ask at the entrance gate to the gardens for more information.
The Boddy House address and hours
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, near the intersection of the 210 and 2 freeways. It is a 20-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.
The Boddy House is open to touring 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Photo by M.V. Jantzen on flickr
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