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Too hot to garden?

Furnace Creek Inn, Death Valley, CA

As the summer heat wears on I wonder if I might feel cooler thinking of places that are hotter and drier than where I am.  So Death Valley National Park and Furnace Creek CA spring to mind.  Just the names sound hot and years of record high heat support its reputation of the hottest, driest, and lowest place in the U.S.   Though Death Valley was set aside as a protected area in 1933, it didn’t become a National Park until 1994.  Always curious about this fierce  sounding  place I was completely surprised by  the flowers of the park and the oasis garden at the Furnace Creek Inn.  Travel really does break apart our preconceived notions of a place....   Continue Reading

Plant People

San Diego Botanic Garden

Just before the killer cold snap last January I had managed to prune my torch bougainvillea into a heart shape topiary.  It made me smile and I eagerly looked forward to it as part of the landscape for a Valentine celebration in February.  Then nature changed my plans and the shape was lost in the freeze damage.  A topiary is a fanciful thing,  it isn’t a garden style that appeals to everyone.  It is a living work of art that requires a vision, patience and an artist using the medium of plants....   Continue Reading

Los Gatos, CA, The blooming town square

A town square has long been a fixture in this country.  A small open green space surrounded by the shops and offices needed for the community to function.  Many have a band stand for what was a frequent summer tradition of concerts in the park.  Nearly all of these town squares are surrounded by trees.  Certainly the story behind the selection of the tree to plant would involve meetings, community leaders, horticultural experts (likely both certified and self-identified) and the decision would not likely have been quick or easy.  What ever the process I think Los Gatos has one of the best trees....   Continue Reading

Hakone Gardens, Saratoga, CA

We are all influenced by our life experiences.  Some experiences change the direction of our lives.  Such is the origin of this authentic Japanese garden built by Oliver and Isabel Stine. The 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition had such an impact on this San Francisco couple that Mrs. Stine spent most of 1916 visiting Japanese gardens in the Fuji-Hakone National Park region of Japan.  Where many of us would be content to bring back souvenirs of such a trip Mrs. Stine brought back an architect and landscape architect to design the 18 acre estate and garden in complete authenticity....   Continue Reading

University of CA, Santa Cruz Arboretum

I almost stepped on this snake today.

Yes, I was leading off down the trail and just walked into a shady patch.  There Mr. Snake was resting, all stretched out.  He scared me more than I scared him.  Fortunately no rattle, just a pretty marking and a rather chilled out snake that barely moved as we stepped carefully around him.  There are critters in the garden....   Continue Reading

San Jose Municipal Rose Garden

Naglee & Dana Ave. CA

I realize the US Constitution does not promise her citizens a rose garden but it is lovely when citizens and elected officials figure out a way to provide one anyway.  The early 20th century was a grand time for advocating for public green space for all people.  In 1927 the Santa Clara County Rose Society advocated for establishing a community rose garden.  The rose society promised  to provide the roses, the city set aside 5 1/2 acres of land just outside the city and the idea began to grow....   Continue Reading

Sierra Azul Garden, Watsonville, CA

A friend said, “since you are in the area you might want to check out Sierra Azul Nursery on your way up.”  So we thought we could squeeze it in for about 30 minutes.  After all, I’m traveling so I can’t buy any plants, and it is only two acres of gardens.  But our thinking was way off base because this is a wonderful nursery with a great variety of plants, helpful advice, and information.  It is also a demonstration gardens of plants matured and interwoven through a natural setting not unlike one could do in their own garden.  It is also an art gallery every year from May 31 thru Oct. showcasing art for the garden....   Continue Reading

Lotusland, Santa Barbara, CA

Gardening with a passion from the early 40s to the 1980’s Madam Ganna Walska found something she liked, a shrub, a tree, a type of glass and then she used alot of it.  When you have 37 acres to garden this style works.  So an agave can be 500 agaves massed along the entrance to the garden.  A ponytail palm can become a stand of trees, green glass slag from an old bottle plant can line the garden beds.  This garden was built with passion, money and serendipity as Madam discovered more about plants and pretty things....   Continue Reading