Posted by Susannah Snider

The first thing you notice about the Descanso Garden self-guided "Trees of Norse Myth" walk is that it smells really good .

That scent does not come from the trees. It is the aroma of the roses, which are in full bloom right now.

One day, I will throw an elaborate wedding under Descanso's rose-covered canopy. And you are alllll invited! But I digress...

It doesn't take a Ringhead to recognize the important role trees play in Wagner's "Ring" cycle, from Nothung's lodging spot in the tree to Wotan's spear, fashioned from an ash branch. Descanso Garden's "Ring Walk" (included with regular admission) invites you to bask in the majesty of the massive Quercus agrifolia (oak trees) and contemplate deep "Ring"-related questions (Where do we come from? How can this tree be so old? Why do I feel so old?)

I was accompanied by my friend (and partner in crime), Katie, who energetically strolled through the gardens with me and vowed to stick to a diet of "pure oak oxygen" after breathing in their wonderful scents.

The gardens occupy 150 acres of land in La Cañada Flintridge, where publisher E. Manchester Boddy built his mansion in the 1930s. Each of the six oak trees featured on the walk predate Boddy's time. They are all at least 100 years old and possibly provided sustenance and shade to the Gabrielino Indians who originally inhabited the area.

Today the oaks' intertwined branches provide a shady bit of respite on a sunny day to horticulture enthusiasts, tourists, and the occasional blogger.

We began at the main entrance, where a huge oak tree welcomed us right off the bat. We wandered through the International Rosarium while I chatted happily about the parties I would one day host there. Next, we worked our way around the perimeter of the garden to the main lawn, stopping to take photos of the oaks. We missed the last oak tree in West Camellia Forest because a film crew began setting up near it. The workers eyed me suspiciously as I snapped photos of their equipment and prayed that Orlando Bloom was somehow involved. He wasn't.

Our visit was cut short by an impending doctor's appointment in Beverly Hills but I'm thrilled that I took an afternoon to stop and smell the roses. Pun. Intended.

The self-guided tour is available until June 30 and visitors can download maps from the Descanso Gardens site .