Santa Monica Migmatite Garden

The city of Santa Monica in western Los Angeles, California is a colorful community that mixes many cultures and a wide variety of home architecture.  In the front yard of a home just west of I-405, north of I-10, and west of Sawtelle Boulevard, a garden boasts an incredible display of migmatites.  Migmatites are often formed through partial melting deep beneath mountain ranges.   I do not know where these migmatites came from, but if any reader knows of a potential quarry where these were taken, please let me know.

Migmatite with a distinct contact between metamorphosed igneous rock with sinistral kinematic indicators sandwiched between gneiss on the top and bottom.

A clearer image of the contact between the meta-igneous and metamorphic rock in this migmatite.  Note the well developed red garnet crystals in the top right of the gneiss.  The gneiss also appears to be slightly foliated.

A little closer look at the contact between meta-igneous melt and gneiss.  Notice how the contact isn't as seamless here with parts of the melt slightly fingering into the gneiss possibly as a result from the partial melting.