Gamble Garden

I made a second garden stop in Palo Alto, a short drive from the last place.



Check out the smoke bush, in full smoke (Cotinus coggygria).



I like they let the hydrangea ('Annabelle'?) grow up against the fencing like that. Artful staking.



Most public gardens in the Bay Area have some lofty purpose related to preservation, conservation, natural habitats, etc. That's nice. Unpretentious ornamental flower gardens that exist simply for human enjoyment are nice too.















Not that there isn't some water-wise gardening going on here as well.



What are the odds that both of the agaves you planted next to your greenhouse bloom at the same time?













The Gamble Garden's most remarkable specimen is perhaps a big, old Erythrina crista-galli.



You don't see these around here very often.