Seeing tz_garden in person...

Back when Gerhard and I were scheming on what to do during my visit, I suggested a stop at Tracy's in Livermore, CA—even though I knew it was a bit of longshot (significant drive, slim chances she'd be free on a Friday just four days away). However, the garden gods were smiling on us and it all worked out... yay!

I met Tracy in person when she attended the Garden Fling last July in the Puget Sound area, however I'd been following her blog tz_garden long before that. On the drive down Gerhard and I referred to her as a "new" blogger, but couldn't decide when exactly was it that she started blogging. I thought it had been a little over a year. I was wrong. It was February of 2023, over two years now.

Naturally we were snapping photos as soon as we arrived, even before we rang the doorbell. I was excited to see the work she'd recently done in the hellstrips, which looked fantastic. 

Interesting plantings and a protective barrier set back, leaving room for car doors and feet, smart!

Walking up to the front door, I recognized the metal planter and Pseudopanax crassifolius planting.

As well as the happy pyrrosia. It's always fun to see the things in "real life" that you'd previously seen on your computer screen.

After Tracy came out to great us we hung out on the front porch for awhile, which gave me time to admire her collection of mounted ferns, like this aglaomorpha. 

And the to-die-for platyceriums...

Most (if not all?) of these come from Tracy's daughter Sophia's partner Ivan. Lucky lady!

We eventually walked through Tracy's home and out into the back garden, where I my jaw dropped. I mean I've seen photos, but they do not compare to the reality.

Looking to the left and the new lath house (laugh house)...

And to the right and that fantastic covered lounge. Tracy had poured us each a glass of wine for garden touring and I was tempted to walk over and plop down, arrange the pillows and relax! But no, I did the "hard work" of carrying on, snapping photos, and reporting on this gorgeous garden...

This planted nook was to our left after stepping out into the garden. 

Container goodness along the fence...

And looking back to the containers that had been on our right when we stepped out of the house (if I'd moved the camera just a little to the right you'd see the back door).

Via Tracy's blog I'd followed the building of the raised platform deck and lath house, but again the reality was much better then what I'd put together in my head.

Before we explore that though, a quick glance out over the rest of the garden as I begin to understand just how large the space is. According to Gerhard's post her property is 12,000 sf (mine is just a smidge over 5,000).

Then to check out the lath house a little closer.

It's the perfect shady spot for plants that need protection from the nonstop summer sun.

Great detail! Love the chunky hook and the leather strapped plant pot.

I seriously wonder how Tracy gets any work done, I would be tempted to just stare at this beauty all day.

Aren't the Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' cascading like waterfalls over the pool's edge is a genius touch?

And the varied plantings on the slope draw your eye upwards.

Part of me was surprised there wasn't a pathway along this side of the pool, but of course the gardener in me loved that the plants had this area all to themselves.

As we walked around the pool to the other side of the garden we passed by Dr. Feelgood, who assessed our worthiness and, I fear, found us lacking. Thankfully Tracy didn't ask us to leave.

Looking towards the lathhouse, which you can't see because it's in the shade. Don't you just want to run your fingers through that acacia foliage?

How do you know when a garden is in a climate with mild winter temperatures? When there are multiple Agave attenuata in the ground.

Speaking of multiple, Tracy has the golden barrel cactus thing going on! I predict she'll have a field of barrels that rivals the Huntington Garden's display in no time.

Blooming Kumara plicatilis (Aloe plicatilis)!

Aloe 'Hercules' (Aloidendron ‘Hercules’) acts as a beefy punctuation mark.

A small (but lovely) crevice garden...

And a nice big Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira'.

This! I think it's Berzelia galpinii. I've bought stems at the flower market, it makes a great (if expensive) vase specimen and dries wonderfully. I cannot imagine having it growing in my own back garden.

Those of you who don't follow Tracy's blog probably aren't aware that she used to live in Portland. I really should have asked her how long it took before the ability to grow these plants, in the ground, stopped feeling so freaky. Then again, she raised a family while settling in here and starting to garden so maybe she had the time to shake off the Portland garden vibe. Maybe I'm just projecting as I can't imagine! 

Banksia blechnifolia...

Agave macroacantha

Lophocereus marginatus (aka Mexican fence post cactus), Opuntia robusta, and (maybe?) Agave 'Blue Glow' all look great against the dark fence. Tracy plants for the impact of repeated elements in the garden. The fence post cactus look great now, but will look even more impressive in a few years.

She also includes wide pathways through the plantings, like a professional would recommend.

We're coming to the end of the visit now.

I'm so grateful Tracy made the time for us, and Gerhard (power road-tripper that he is), was up for the drive.

Visiting gardens that belong to blogging friends is the best!

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Gerhard’s garden, visiting again after 6 years

For a while there I was on a roll, visiting Gerhard's Davis, CA, garden in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019... but then came the drought. It's hard to believe 6 long years went by between my 2019 visit and the latest one, at the end of March. Once I was on the ground we quickly made up for lost time, before my luggage was even in the house we were touring the front garden and I was snapping photos, a lot of photos. This post is going to be a long one even by my standards...

The mangave above is the same one that's at the foot of the blooming Aloe excelsa below. After that my eyes were drawn to the large Lavandula allardii 'Meerlo' on the bottom right.

Moving to the left... 

Wowsa! Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite' and Aloe marlothii.

Gorgeous variegated Agave ovatifolia backed by Senecio ficoides 'Mount Everest' (Senecio Skyscraper).

As you've probably noticed the light changes a lot in these photos, I was there for several days and we walked around the garden a few different times. Rather than grouping my photos by day, I arranged them in one (fairly) cohesive tour through the garden. We've started in front of the fence that divides the public and private areas of the front garden. Gerhard shares a lot of beautiful plants with his neighbors and passersby.

I know I'd walk (or drive) by this everyday if I could.

Opuntia sulphurea

Aloe 'Unicorn' (peglerae × white ferox)

This was actually one of my favorite aloes in Gerhard's garden.

There it is again, with Aloe schoelleri behind it.

I wish I would have been there to see these Echinocereus triglochidiatus fully open, what a sight that must be.

Mangave ‘Queen for a Day’

Aloe ‘Tangerine’

Agave shawii

The Echinopsis ‘Flying Saucer’ (bottom, right of center) was teasing with big fat buds for days...

Lucky for me they opened on my last day, before I flew out. Check out Gerhard's Instagram video of the flowers, and take a look at that substantial Leucadendron 'Ebony' on the far right. Gorgeous!

Speaking of (gorgeous) look at at that Lyonothamnus (ironwood), a tree I wish I would have planted here several years ago. Spilling out over the sidewalk (and throughout this part of the garden) are Eschscholzia californica ‘White Linen’ (California poppies),  Gerhard grows them as a fun annual and will pull them all when they're done flowering.

The goodness just keeps going and going...

Yucca linearifolia

Mangave ‘Pineapple Punch’

Aloe ‘Moonglow’ with Yucca rostrata

The 'Moonglow' flowers are nearing the end of their show, but I thought they were still lovely.

Eucalyptus macrocarpa (powder blue foliage the left) and the tall blooming aloe is A. ‘Erik the Red’.

Eucalyptus macrocarpa close up.

Aloe spectabilis × vaombe

Another Aloe ‘Moonglow’.

Looking back where we've been...

Now we've walked on to the strip of land between Gerhard's and the neighbor's driveways. 

Aloe 'Maui Gem' (mawii × globuligemma)

Close-up

Hechtia roseana 'Mr Freckles'

And now we've worked our way into the private front garden, behind the fence. Those tall guys with the mop-top do are Beaucarnea recurvata, supposedly not hardy in the area but they've been in the ground for 15 years (Gerhard planted them all from a single two gallon container).

Agave titanota 'Black and Blue'.

A group shot, the tall yucca is Yucca queretaroensis and along the border (at the bottom) is a happy clump of Echeveria agavoides ‘Christmas’.

Agave nickelsiae

Gerhard has definitely taken the dive into dryland ferns, he had a few beauties in the garden. This one is Cheilanthes lanosa / Myriopteris lanosa.

Sophora prostrata, Gerhard bought this in Portland and it's happily growing in Davis. 

I believe this is Mangave ‘Kaleidoscope’ (?) nope, another M. 'Pineapple Punch', such different coloring than the one on more sun on the other side of the fence.

There's that gorgeous ironwood from the other side, it's such a great tree with interesting bark and shapely leaves. I coveted those rusty metal bowls something awful. 

Parodia leninghausii, aka golden ball cactus... which by the way is perfectly situated so you can enjoy the backlighting from the dining room.

Okay, we're in the final stretch... the back garden, Vriesea 'Pink Magic'... (Gerhard successfully leaves a few bromeliads outdoors year round).

 

Oh, look at that! A very happy Pyrrosia lingua sandwiched in between two agaves, excellent!

Cyathea cooperi / Sphaeropteris cooperi

And behold the new back garden succulent beds, I followed Gerhard's progress here (shown shortly after planting in this post) but the reality is even better...

So many fabulous plants in a small area.

Aloe plicatilis / Kumara plicatilis looking amazing there on the right.

Agave mitis 'Nova'

Now we're looking at the back of the Aloe plicatilis and towards the greenhouse. I tried to get a good photo of Stella being cute but they were all blurry, do you see her there? What a sweet dog.

Here's the bed behind the greenhouse.

Variegated Agave ovatifolia given pride of place at the top, with room to grow.

The greenhouse! It actually felt much more spacious than I was expecting. For the longest time Andrew and I have been talking about moving and I've been insisting that a dedicated greenhouse space was a necessity. That talk is on hold for now, but if we do move...

Just a few more plant close-ups, a variegated Mangave 'Praying Hands'.

Agave polianthiflora 'Mediopicta'

Seeing Gerhard's garden again was definitely a highlight of the long-weekend adventure. He has such great plant taste and grows everything so well. Despite his comments otherwise he also has a unique style and creativity that pulls everything together so well. I hope it won't be another 6 years until visit again! Closing out with another spectacular bloomer, Echinopsis 'Nazca Giant'. 

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.