7/14/2007

Today at the San Franicsco Botanical Garden

It looked like this.

IMG_3925

I'm in a new structure being built in the rhododendron dell using some of William Randolph Heart's old monastery stones.

IMG_3929

IMG_3927

The tree is Luma apiculata in the Myrtaceae, from Chile. It's considered a water-wise plant for Bay Area gardens. The foliage is fragrant, and the tree has white flowers later in the summer, followed by large berries.

IMG_3921

Acanthus mollis, Acanthaceae.

IMG_3909

I'm told this plant is ineradicable once established in a San Francisco garden. I have no experience with it myself.

IMG_3911

The thorny tree.

IMG_3912

This is its foliage.

IMG_3913

I want love this conifer.

IMG_3906

Pelargonium sidoides.

IMG_3903

Really nice idea.

IMG_3897

IMG_3899

IMG_3893

Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Heronswood Globe'. Cercidiphyllaceae. This plant smells remarkably like burnt sugar.

IMG_3892

Anigozanthos sp., Haemodoraceae.
IMG_3889

I might have to rethink my feelings about this plant. Before, I was, like, "It's the new Agapanthus." Sunset says it's native to open Eucalyptus forests. That must be something to see. Here, nothing grows under Eucalyptus.

Far too rampant for the small garden, but I like Salvia cacaliifolia.

IMG_3878

The triangular leaves get me.

IMG_3879

Even more rampant, Solandra sp., Solanaceae.

IMG_3871

IMG_3875

IMG_3868

IMG_3869

Fuchsia boliviana v. Alba.

IMG_3865

Encephelartos and yellow clivia.

IMG_3860

IMG_3861

Encephalartos tegulaneus, a cycad.

IMG_3853

Strelitzia and agapanthus. Plants of the idealized suburban California garden of the 1970s.

IMG_3850

IMG_3838

Dierama pulcherrimum, Iridaceae.

IMG_3839

I have seeds for this plant. Must. Sow. Them. Soon.

IMG_3841

IMG_3843

IMG_3844

Protea. Part plant, part bird.

IMG_3845

I sometimes feel like I should have plants like these in my garden, just because I could grow them here. And I like them. I think they're just too big for me. That's often what it comes down to.

IMG_3837

Cercis occidentalis.

IMG_3829

The western redbud is more twisty-shrubby than the eastern varieties.

IMG_3830

We're in the California section now.

IMG_3828

Eriogonum grande v. rubescens and Clarkia sp.

IMG_3827

IMG_3822

IMG_3825

Eriogonum arborescens, Polygonaceae.

IMG_3819

IMG_3817

Right on the cusp of bloom.

IMG_3821

Asclepias speciosa, Asclepiadaceae.

IMG_3815

This is one of the few plants left that I really, really want in my garden.

IMG_3800

This pink Mimulus aurantiacus (Scrophulariaceae) was growing in an inaccessible spot so I had to zoom in on it.

IMG_3809

Toxicodendron diversilobum, Anacardiaceae. Related to mango!

IMG_3808

Populus tremuloides, Salicaceae. Quaking Aspen. I would grow this too if I could. The plant gets turned on by the slightest breeze, and it's so important to have some movement in the garden, in my opinion.

IMG_3804

Currants.

IMG_3793

This is a Keckiella; I'm not sure which one. I'm growing K. cordifolia from seed.

IMG_3789

Calycanthus.

IMG_3787

Allium.

IMG_3784

And some yarrow.

IMG_3780

IMG_3779

Acer circinatum.

IMG_3772

IMG_3770

Okay, we're leaving California now.

IMG_3762

I don't know what got into this Echium...

IMG_3764

IMG_3945

IMG_3946

IMG_3941

This is Francoa. There are a few different kinds, and I don't know which is which.

IMG_3937

IMG_3933

IMG_3934

Senna condolliana, Fabaceae.

IMG_3935

Remnant puya flowers up there.

IMG_3760

A closer look from the other side.

IMG_3952

IMG_3757

Hmm. I didn't get a picture of the tree, but here is the flower of Chiranthodendron pentadactylon, Sterculiaceae.

IMG_3756

IMG_3753

IMG_3728

They're having a plant sale today. I'm not working it or shopping it, so by the time I get here everything's pretty picked over.

IMG_3677

But we can look around!

IMG_3681

They're pushing the passion flowers.

IMG_3680

Many, many kinds.

IMG_3679

There's that Gunnera.

IMG_3682

They're selling these Madia I grew from seed. Someone told me a guy bought four of them this morning.

IMG_3684

I should have bought these pitchers.

IMG_3687

And this Prunella vulgaris.

IMG_3696

Isn't it pretty?

IMG_3694

A little behind the scenes tour.

IMG_3704

IMG_3705

IMG_3720

IMG_3708

IMG_3710

IMG_3713

Allium flavum 'minus'. What a name.

IMG_3714

Sweet swallowtail.

IMG_3974

13 comments:

Digital Flower Pictures said...

It looks like you had a nice trip around the Botanical Garden. Is there anything that doesn't grow out there? ;-)

chuck b. said...

Well, the list of what we can grow is probably longer than the list of what we can't grow, but of course I really want everything we can't grow. Melons, eggplant, beefsteak tomatoes, apricots, and peaches, for starters.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm speechless. So much to look at.

Those monastery stones are gorgeous. And the Acanthus - it's like a field of Acanthus in bloom! I don't think that I've ever seen anything like that before.

Thanks.

LostRoses said...

I'm constantly amazed at the variety of plants that will grow there. I think you should put one of those proteas in your garden, it's very cool and you can have one big plant, can't you?

I have to say I'm sickened by that thorny-trunked tree. It looks like a skin disease, don't you think?

JvA said...

Nice!

Have you been to Hearst Castle? I went there several years ago, but I wasn't into plants at the time. Do they have cool plants?

Unknown said...

That's the bane of small gardens... so many things you can't grow for lack of space. *sigh*

I loved those pictures, though. And I'm going out and putting some of my small creeping sedum around my black mondo grass--maybe that will help it stand out a bit more like it does in your picture.

chuck b. said...

Lost Roses, I do have big plants in the garden right now, they're just small still. But they'll get big. Adding even one more big plant would be overwhelming. The thorny tree doesn't really bother me too, but I see where you're coming from.

Julie, I've never been to Hearst Castle. We have that in the queue as a possible roadtrip.

Kim, I really like that silver-gray/black combination. Last year, a woman (from Ohio I think) won the Fine Gardening container contest using black and white and silver-gray foliage. (Begonias mostly.) It was lovely.

lisa said...

Great tour, as usual! That luma tree has it all-nice bark, frag. foliage, flowers AND berries! Wow! I liked that grey/black combo, too, and that dierama-yes. plant. soon! :) As for the protea-will it do okay in a pot? Would that help it stay smaller? I like that you want milkweed, and it's something I have TONS of-want seeds? The pitcher plants are way cool...and I can't believe you're admiring prunella vulgaris, I have plenty and it's actually rather invasive! (Heh...want seeds?)

lisa said...

Great shot of the butterfly, BTW!

chuck b. said...

You don't like Prunella? Really?! It's sure not very weedy here; I never see it anywhere. (Weedy natives would be nice.) I would love some seeds! Yes, please!

Are your sure your milkweed is Asclepias speciosa? If you're sure, I would love some seeds of that too! That would be awesome!

You can e-mail me at lcbii@yahoo.com and we'll make arrangements...

lisa said...

I am sure about the milkweed, and I will be happy to hook you up!

chuck b. said...

Thanks, Lisa!

What seeds can I share with you? You probably have everything in the world!

Would you like to try some Madia, or Cammissonia? (The latter as an annual in your climate; the Madia is an annual anyway.) Something else? How about some 'apricot beauty' foxglove?

lisa said...

Sure! How about some Madia and Foxglove? Hey and if you want to try some daylilies, I'd be happy to slide you a couple divisions!