8/2/10

Monday Night Botanical Garden

My buddy Kirsten and I have an annual tradition (since 2007) of visiting the San Francisco Botanical Garden together just before it closes some night during the summer. The crowds are gone and you can linger as long as you want and leave through the turnstiles.

In my opinion, coastal gardens peak this time of year. On nice days the light is spectacular. However today was not a nice day. It was about 55 deg F with a cold, blowing wind under heavy fog. Nonetheless, the company was good and the garden was beautiful. Shall we?

Strybing gardeners don't typically make flower beds a priority, but when they go for it the results are usually impressive. Papaver commutatum 'Ladybird' makes that easy. I planted a few of these in the Mad Englishwoman's garden with outstanding results.

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In California, Clarkia rubicunda and Eriogonum latifolium:

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Clarkia with E. grande.

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Summer-dry Nassella pulchra and Grindelia stricta.

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Strybing has a few old flannel bushes, covered with lichen. Absolutely fabulous.

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Some cool blues

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and milky greens.

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The small, compact agaves make enormous flower spikes just like the big boys.

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The blue Iochroma is widely available; I wish the purple one was too.

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Is this Salvia mexicana 'Limelight'?

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The genus Salvia adores San Francisco.

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We go from blue to blue's opposite, with Passiflora parritae.

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This is one of the rarest passionflowers in the world. It may even be extinct in the wild. Read all about it here.

@AnnieinAustin Check out the dropped flower bud

Passiflora parritae bloomed abundantly in Golden Gate Park today.

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Do you flower haters want some foliage? Here are three leaves.

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And a bed of restios, pelargoniums and phyllicas.

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And I have to throw a tree fern in here somewhere

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Really there's a world of leaves out there.

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6 comments:

Queer by Choice said...

Picture #2 is amazing. I think everyone should just permanently stop photographing Aeoniums now, because no one is ever going to top that composition.

The Nassella/Grindelia combination looks just like what we have in the wild around here in every field and cow pasture. It's Grindelia camporum in our fields, and I'm not sure what the grass is, but the effect is the same. In fact, I have a photo.

Julie said...

I cannot wait to get there one day!!! Beautiful tour! Sounds like you found the best time to go for sure, each year!!!

Frances said...

I am jealous on so many levels here! Thinking of a garden all to yourselves, that it is a tradition, getting to go with a friend who appreciates it all just as much, 55 degrees!, and the surroundings, just to name a few. Flower haters! HA
Frances

Town Mouse said...

I just love the botanical garden, and each time I go, I discover something I've never seen before. Thanks for the great pictures!

Denise said...

That's gotta be 'Limelight' but mine is way behind, just setting buds. Happy is the plant that grows at Strybing, judging by your photos. The fremontodendron and lichen, beautiful.

danger garden said...

Thanks for the memories. What a beautiful place!