Park Nobel’s 1.6-acre cactus garden

The entrance to the driveway in the garden of retired UCLA professor Park Nobel in Los Angeles near the university.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Nobel always weeds as he walks through the garden.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A view of the garden from the street in front of Nobel’s home.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Another view.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

In another part of the garden, small-scale art mixes with the spiny, sculptural plants.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Nobel sits with his dog, B.C., in the garden.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Opuntia robusta, a paddle cactus without thorns.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Portulacaria afra, commonly known as an elephant plant, is from South Africa.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Agave filifera.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Agave huachucensis.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Austrocylondriaopuntia subulata.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Opuntia microdasys, or bunny ears cactus.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Another view of the otherworldly Opuntia robusta, commonly known as a paddle cactus.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Park Nobel walks the path he made through his Los Angeles garden. A new UCLA Magazine article further details Nobel and his eclectic landscape.

To see more profiles of California homes and gardens, check out our Homes of the Times gallery.

To follow our gardening coverage, join our Facebook page for gardening in the West.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)