I found two Styphnolobium japonicum, pagoda trees, formerly called Sophora japonica, in Queen Elizabeth Park today, on 37th just west of Columbia. They were only a little fragrant, but the best feature was that they had flowers down at eye-level. These have somewhat distinctive pulvini (the swollen area at the base of the petioles). In the quarry garden are a few of what I think are Euphorbia tirucalli, pencil tree. I'm basing that on the tree with that name inside the conservatory. Here's a view looking down on the main quarry garden.
Isn't it wonderful to see such trees as Styphnolobium japonicum growing where they have so much room to spread their branches? How lucky you are to see them in person and how lucky we are for you to document and share them as you do with those of us who will likely never see them in person.
You know, you think they're so rare, but I saw one starting to bloom in Strathcona two weeks ago (the neighbourhood next to Chinatown). I didn't photograph it, and now can't remember if it was a street tree, but it's not listed as one of the six locations (of Sophora) in the city's records (Street trees — City of Vancouver Open Data Portal).