The subtropical garden is one of the most colorful areas in the gardens
in spring to late summer. The plants come from many parts of the world in
the climate band between temperate and tropical; many are uncommon in Southern
California.
The trees on this slope provide a colorful canopy: yellow cassias and tabebuias,
pink cape chestnuts, purple bauhinias, blue jacarandas, and white tree daisies.
Shrubs on the slope include salvias of many kinds and colors, as well as
less well-known coribretum, crotalaria, and polygale. The garden also features
an extensive collection of bulbous, rhizomatous, and tuberous plants that
create splendid seasonal displays.