Wednesday, June 4, 2025

The Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens

This stop was a random addition to our San Diego trip in January. A friend (Jenny/aka Rock Rose) had visited and shared a few photos on social media. She ranked this garden as more enjoyable than the San Diego Botanic Garden and since I'd already been to the SDBG on another trip, I thought why not see someplace new, if we ended up with extra time.

The Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens is part of a temple complex along the bluff in Encinitas, you can read more about the Fellowship and Paramahansa Yogananda here

The visit was convenient for us, since the gardens were just 10 minutes from Solana Succulents

I thought it was wonderfully generous they allow people to tour the gardens free of charge. 

The Pacific Ocean in the background.

A group of foxtail ferns (Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers') cavorting around at the base of the palm trees was a great planting choice.

A swimming pool adjacent to the ocean is as odd to me as a swimming pool on a cruise ship. I realize just because there's a huge body of water yards away doesn't mean you can swim in it, but still it's always struck me as an odd combination. This particular swimming pool wasn't in use however. 

The large agaves and ancient tile work still look great though.

I'm beginning to think when it comes to California gardens a large staghorn is just as predicable as an agave.

This odd scene marked the southern most boundary of the temple property.

We couldn't get any closer, maybe there was a sign saying why the tree needed a backdrop?

At the north end of the garden there were lots of people milling about, it was a beautiful location to take it all in.



What a view!



Overall the plantings were a mixed-bag, with the succulent area better than some of the other parts. Really though who can complain when there's no charge to get in?

Adenanthos sericeus, aka woolly bush. A shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia. 

It's so soft! (I grew one of these for a couple years, until it got tired of container life)





The view from our bench, not bad!

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

Monday, June 2, 2025

Edgefield, after many years

When I decided to sell (as part of The Other Plant Sale) the Indio Metal Arts container I bought at an event at McMenamins Edgefield, it got me to thinking about just how long it had been since I'd wandered the grounds out there. Too long was the answer, so I paid a visit...

In case you are unfamiliar with the McMenamins name, it's a local chain of restaurants, hotels, bars, and theatres, all located in historic properties. Edgefield is a 74 acre parcel developed in 1911 as the county poor farm. Now it's a sprawling venue that hosts a summer concert series, weddings and weekend getaways. All the McMenamins properties place a high value on the gardens, which is why I like them. 


I knew that plant propagation happened at this McMenamins location, but if I'd seen the greenhouse on prior visits I'd somehow completely forgotten it.

It's very mysterious the way it lurks back there, hidden by the foliage.

I found the front!

And peeked inside...

There were tables covered with small plants being grown on.

And a reminder for those who might have bad thoughts...

Moving on...




The troughs...

The signage is new since my last visit.

Agave some somebody...

Lewisia


The bamboo grove is thick along the backside of a building.

A similar photo to this one—but with the opuntia in bloom—made it into my book.

The veggie garden...

With a florific cover crop.

More signage...

This part of the grounds was new to me, or maybe it's been replanted in plants that capture my attention? Like Dasylirion wheeleri.

Eryngium agavifolium

And Tetrapanax papyrifer. 

A hidden courtyard.


One of the outbuildings that serves libations, with a nice patch of Melianthus major growing along the pathway.

I mentioned the summer concert series, and I think that was actually the last time I visited Edgefield. To see Pink Martini summer 2019, pre-covid. It was an amazing night.

This oddly shaped—and very spiny—leaf was new to me, Google images things it might be Ilex cornuta 'rotunda'.

The plant was used as a hedge.

The front of the hotel, where any logical person would start a tour (but not someone garden focused).

Daphniphyllum macropodum, right? Not so quick. Near as I could tell (without climbing the tall shrub to see things up close) there were rhododendron flowers on the upper branches (and on the ground too), plus the tips of the leaves are rounded, rather than pointed. Color me confused.

This! An abomination! I mean the foliage was amazing, but who thought red flowers need to bloom on this shrub?

Good without the flowers, am I right?

Closing in on the end of the tour with just one more section of the garden to see.

I think this is cunninghamia (a conifer in the cypress family) mulch.

Underneath a cunninghamia, of course.

Party tent!

Is the party just getting set up? Or are these lovely flowers part of the aftermath? It was 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon, so I'm thinking I was there early?

Making my way back to the car before the action gets started...

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