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Sherman Gardens At Summer's End
Passiflora alata
Sherman Gardens at Summer's end looked fabulous.
It was one of the places visited on last Saturday's garden tour, and
was for a plant lover the highlight of the day. The wide open central
area flower beds were stuffed, crammed, jammed full of various
Gomphrenas. Pure exuberance.
Displays of tropical foliage just as fabulous.
No playing it safe with shocking pink Celosia
A potted array of current "it" plants--variegated Manihot, golden
Hamelia patens, a shaggy, grass-like Thuja, black-foliaged
Lagerstroemias, etc, Grevillea 'Kings Fire', Echinacea/Rudbeckia hybrids, Cuphea 'Vermillions'...
Choice blue Encephalartos with Bromeliads, Aeoniums, and Hunnemmania.
A profoundly happy Adenanthos sericeus. I've killed this a couple of times. Adenanthos cuneatus has been a slow steady growing in my garden--wish this one was also.
The tropicals looked great. My past few visits have been in January or early spring, when the tropicals are not quite so happy. Winters here are very mild but the difference for these plants of nights in the 60s and 70sF vs. nights in the low 50sF is significant.
The pond had blooming lillies. Last visit they were dormant, and the weeping mulberries were leafless.
Shade house looked fabulous, too. Everything looked fabulous.
Joyful, joyful. How can one be melancholy among happy healthy plants like these?
This might be 'Sundaville Apricot' Dipladenia (Mandevilla)
Beautiful ferns, too.
Medinilla speciosa?
The Bromeliads were also looking, yes, fabulous.
This is what can be done in coastal Southern California. Much more than hedges, gravel, and a few white flowers. Just so we don't forget that.
I love the cute otter in the pond!
ReplyDeleteMe, too!
DeleteI love the exuberance in that wonderful garden.
ReplyDeleteMe, too! It is so joyful.
DeleteThis was the visit I really noticed those ferns -- that ruffled platycerium! My Adenanthos sericeus has decided to grow upright and is approx 6 feet tall now -- I'm letting it do what it wants! I agree that the gardens were really on their game for Sept. (Yes, this can be done, but it takes lots of time, resources and skill!)
ReplyDeleteAnd water! Lots of water! Luxurious amounts of water! Is your Adenanthos beautiful? I don't remember it from your blog. I wish I hadn't killed mine.
DeleteThis was the highlight of the tour for me too, even though I'd visited Sherman Gardens earlier in the summer. I laughed at your characterization of the central display as a collection of "it" plants - it did have a "look at us, we're the cool kids" vibe that didn't entirely match my expectations for this garden.
ReplyDeleteThought maybe they were testing those, the reason for them being in pots.
DeleteIt all looked so beautiful (and well watered). Flower floozy forever!
still pouting that I didn't have the time to visit here when I was down yonder in March. I'm glad you were able to redeem your garden touring day !
ReplyDeleteHope you get to see the place sometime. It has improved dramatically in recent years. Used to be pleasant, lately become impressive.
DeleteYou had me at that Passion flower! Wowsa.
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, someone remarked, "Loree would love this!" when we perused the Passionflower vine. Photo does not do it justice.
DeleteStunning! You're right, who could not feel happy amid all of this fabulousness. Thanks for sharing the joy!
ReplyDeleteHappy to do so. We need some joy these days.
DeleteIn the gathering of "It plant" containers, what is that tall smoky purple one? It looks like an unusually colored kangaroo paws, or maybe that's foliage, not blooms...?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering that myself. Yes that is foliage. We were getting a docent-led tour so I could not stop and gawk and take close ups.
DeleteI looked back at the photo in maximum size and it looks to be a Leucadendron.
That passiflora at the beginning of your post was beautiful. I've always loved how they look so out of this world and yet grow just fine in my backyard.
ReplyDeleteIt was a real beauty--so healthy and full. I'm tempted to try one, but don't they need considerable water?
DeleteThose glass spikes in the otter's pool would also have made a difference to the same old green and white gardens (if flower colour is not allowed?)
ReplyDeleteNo restrictions on flower color in NB, which made those gardens all the more disappointing.
Delete