Back to California, briefly

Monday's post—a California garden visit from 2023—was spurred by the fact we were headed back to the Los Angeles area, and I needed to finish writing about last year's fun, before sharing what I got up to this year. An embarrassment of riches for sure. 

Last Wednesday, Nov 13th, Andrew and I flew down to Burbank, CA, arriving in time to crash for the night. Thursday we visited the Huntington Library & Gardens—it was heaven! I have a few hundred photos from that visit to share, eventually. Friday was a family day, then on Saturday I headed out to visit a few nurseries; Rolling Greens, The Tropics, and Flora Grubb LA. There will be proper posts about those stops, but today I'm sharing the in-between. Like this quick stop at Mickey Hargitay Plants, because I was in the area with a few minutes to kill.

I was feeling a little cheeky so I went ahead and nudged the tillandsia clump on that tree. Just how attached was it? Quite. No moving it.

Down the street, near where I parked.

A blog reader recently shared a video of gardens around where he was staying in Oxnard, CA. The thirsty, dusty aeonium he saw looked almost like metal sculptures. These were on there way to that effect.

I saw pineappled agaves all over the city, most of them were in areas where they'd been cut back to keep people or cars from being poked. This one was in an area where you'd have to really work to get close. Maybe it's just the default for yard care crews?

But what the hell? Why not just put it out of it's misery?

Happy hellstrip agave...

Sad hellstrip agave.

Even sadder hellstrip agave.

Two Agave attenuata and one???

Impressive fruit display whatever it is.

I liked this planting and how it worked with the building.

Well, that's not something you see everyday.

Street Rap History?

So those photos were all taken walking to my car, but my travels also had me driving thru a few LA neighborhoods. I was on high alert scanning left and right, and saw many interesting plantings. I only stopped the car to photograph this one, those house-sized agaves seemed worthy.

I didn't notice the sprinkler at first.

I mean that's not what you expect to see, as much as it does explain the healthy plantings (employees I spoke to at the Huntington said they hadn't had measurable rainfall since April).

I wonder why they haven't pulled the palm out yet? It's only going to get more difficult with time. Or maybe they have and it keeps coming back?

This was an interesting oddity. While logic says it's simply a damaged agave with two different growth patterns, my eyes say someone planted an Agave 'Royal Spine' in the center of an Agave parryi.

So what did I buy on the trip? Well I couldn't resist this double-sided, printed canvas bag at Rolling Greens. 

Even if those apostrophes are upside down! (it was only $5, maybe that's why?) 

At Flora Grubb I really wanted a gorgeous gallon-sized Agave 'Royal Spine' but talked myself out of it, as there was no way to get it home. Instead I settled for a tiny (but oh so cute) Agave albopilosa. I have one that Gerhard gave me, but thought it would be nice to have another to play with.

I also bought this odd little terracotta hanging planter, as you can probably guess it's the metal parts that spoke to me.

After leaving Flora Grubb, I drove back up to where we were staying via the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica as far as Malibu. We were flying out the next day and I couldn't leave without putting my eyes on the ocean, even if it was just from the car...

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The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (a 2023 visit)

Here's another of those garden visits that got a little lost in time. The day was November 17th, of 2023. Yes, last year. After visiting Lotusland I set out for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The sky was threatening and they warned me at the admissions desk that they might be closing early. Thankfully I was able to stroll without interruption. 

I had visited this garden once before, back in 2012, so I knew the general layout. Since I was on my own I also took my time and played with a newish camera. Agave shawii are one of the sexiest agaves, in my opinion. Sadly they're also not at all hardy and (from what I've read) aren't worth trying to grow in containers. So I love them when I see them in California...

Hold House! I wish there were things in the hold house for me (there is a nursery on site).

I walked through the manzanita section before backtracking to the beginning and doing the desert section. There were many gorgeous specimens, but none that I managed to get the name of. I should also mention that the garden has a focus on California native plants.

Lyonothamnus floribundus, aka Catalina ironwood, actually Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius - Santa Cruz Island Ironwood.

Oh look, I'm back at the Agave shawii...

Dudleya some somebody

Cylindropuntia bigelovii, aka teddy-bear cholla

Agave 'Blue Flame', oh so photographable.

Yep, another Agave shawii

I find dried-out cactus skeletons quite fascinating.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you...

Yucca schidigera, the Mojave yucca.

Nolina bigelovii, poor thing needs a lie-down.

Ferns!

Polypodium scouleri I believe.

And possibly Christella puberula, synonym Thelypteris puberula.

The bloom on that agave was crazy short, it was fun to be able to see the flowers *almost* at eye level.

I found a label for this one, Agave sebastiana, and I think it's the same as the one that's blooming.

Notice the hummingbird sitting on the tall bloomed-out spike. It wanted to come back to the blooms but wasn't going to risk it with me there.

So many flowers!

I've crossed the road that separates the two parts of the garden now, and I'm near where you're supposed to have a view of the Channel Islands. Not on a cloudy day like this however.

Oh well. It was still a fabulous visit.

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.