I had business in the East Bay today and I used the opportunity to visit the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley. It was exceptionally beautiful.
All of the above was all just the entry garden. I often feel like I should make my own garden more like the entry gardens here, or at Strybing. They're two of the finest ornamental gardens I've ever seen. And I could have this in my yard too--it would not be hard and it wouldn't take long. Instead, I've gone my own way. We all go our own way.
Now let's go see the rest of the garden.
Anemopsis californica. I've had this plant in my garden for years but it's never flowered because it's growing in too much shade. If I move it to sun, then it needs water. It occurs to me that I should put it by the bird bath. Most every day I slosh out the dirty bird bath water and refill it. I could be, ahem, killing two birds with one stone.
It was a thrill to see Araucaria araucana with cones. I've never seen them before.
The Victorians were fascinated by this tree and grew it widely. Tort damages arising from the dangerous, dropping cones put an end to that. Today this tree is planted more cautiously, and much more rarely.
6/18/10
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Thanks for reminding me that it's been too long since I've visited this garden.
Such variety! Thank you for the vicarious visit.
Outstanding as always, Chuck. Thanks for identifying the Anemopsis californica, which appears in a previous post I did on wildflowers (Wordless Wednesday Wildflowers). I really need to get out and see these gardens for myself sometime.
Is that what they call a "monkey puzzle tree," do you know? (I had to prune one of those at the botanical garden glasshouse once, and jpw tp navigate it without losing any skin it was certainly puzzling to ME! lol.)
Oh, gosh, what a beautiful garden! You are making me want to visit our botanical garden (Mounts Botanical)...maybe I will plan it for later today...after 5pm. It is so stinkin hot here...
The UC Garden was esp. beautiful yesterday. I could have stayed for hours.
Yes, that's the Monkey Puzzle Tree.
Gorgeous! We have two free passes and still haven't made the trip across the bridge to check it out. I'm waiting for their Titan to flower in early July. Can't wait to see the monkey puzzle's cones too!
The Araucaria pictures make me sad, reminding me of the one I lost after two years, having spent mucho money on. I saw one in England that was at least 2 stories tall, I wanted to hug it but thought twice.
Are they on their game or what -- the glaucium with orangy grasses, the blue puya (?) backed by the whatever blast of yellow is behind. Gorgeous. Strybing always has inspring plantings but I've never been to the Berkeley Bot before.
You've really captured the spirit of the Garden. I hope everyone is aware that a giant titan arum (Corpse Flower) is now in bud there and while it may not open fully for about 2 wks, it's a must see now and worth following. Check out the Garden website (http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu)
Paul
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