When I visited South Coast Botanic Garden earlier this month to tour the SOAR butterfly exhibit, I had time to kill before my timed entry slot opened. Work on the new Children's Garden, expected to continue into 2024, is still disrupting my usual routes through the garden so my wandering was a little aimless and focused on the front areas.
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These unidentified Iris were flowering alongside the koi pond in the Japanese Garden
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Across the tram road from the main Desert Garden area, I saw this red bottlebrush and my jaw dropped. In the inland valley of Southern California where I grew up, red bottlebrush were everywhere and I came to hate them but these were nothing like those.
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This red-flowered bottlebrush, probably Callistemon viminalis, found in another area of the garden, is more like those I knew in childhood
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Commentating on an Instagram post, David Feix, a Berkeley-based landscaper, guessed that this is Callistemon citrinus. It's a beautiful thing and, if I had room for it, I'd definitely plant it in my garden.
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| In the Desert Garden, I spotted these saw leaf agaves (Agave xylonacantha) in bloom |
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| I came across these succulents, an Aloe striata x maculata (left) and noID Dyckia (right), elsewhere in the garden |
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| No labels were to be found to identify this interesting succulent and neither my cell phone plant ID function nor my online search helped clear up the mystery |
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| It may not be apparent in my photo but this was the tiniest squirrel I've ever seen |
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| An Echium wildpretii (aka tower of jewels) |
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| I've personally named this area, which runs between SCBG's ampitheater and the Rose Garden, "Echium Lane" for the huge Echium candicans growing there |
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| The Garden for the Senses hasn't been the same since its pre-pandemic days but there were some nice touches of color |
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Panoramic view of the Rose Garden
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Top row: Roses 'Cherry Parfait', 'Oh My', and 'Rock & Roll'
Middle row: 'Lady Emma Hamilton', noID yellow, and noID bi-color
Bottom row: 'Gemini', noID coral, and 'Love Song' |
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| 3 Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' trees line up in the background to the Rose Garden |
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| A section of what is still labeled as the Volunteer Garden on SCBG's map |
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| Chinese fringe trees (Chioanthus retusus) in full bloom border the garden's lower meadow opposite the Volunteer Garden |
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| Another flower-filled bed bordering the meadow area (which was closed when I was there) |
By the time I'd collected these photos, I discovered I needed to hustle to report to the SOAR exhibit. If you missed the post that chronicled that visit, you can find it here.
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material © 2012-2023
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The Callistemon I grew up with were often trained as a tree. I couldn't name the variety to save my life, but I'm enchanted by them now just as I've been when I was little. The seeds were a source of fascinations too...
ReplyDeleteEchium wildpretii is so gorgeous, and so are the dramatic dark purple blooms in "Echium Lane". I wondered if you selected a replacement for your retiring shrub, if its going to be an Echium at all.
Chavli
I currently have 3 Callistemons in my garden, all of which I love. One, 'Cane's Hybrid', is very tree-like. Given that I've seen the hummingbirds fighting over there recently, I suspect its peachy-pink flowers may be getting started. As to the Echium slated for replacement, I do have another variegated 'Star of Madiera' in a pot ready to to be planted, although I'm still going back and forth about whether to put it in the same spot, or shift it into the next bed, which has a declining Coleonema I'd like to replace. I've got 2 Echium wildpretii in the front garden by our garage too but they've shown no signs of blooming. They may be getting too much shade :(
DeleteWhoa, the Callistemon! It is just packed with blooms. I love bottlebrush, but didn't grow up in CA (and never saw them in Portland). Nice job showcasing this garden, a reminder to myself to stop and actually take pictures.
ReplyDeleteI've got a tree-sized Callistemon that produces peach-colored blooms but it's not as flamboyant as that splendid Callistemon citrinus. My other 2 - one that produces hot pink flowers and the other that has chartreuse blooms - are still relatively small.
DeleteOh that Callistemon citrinus is gorgeous! I love the grouping of Echium wildpretii, the next time I plant them maybe I'll try to replicate that.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting to see if my Echium wildpretii will bloom. One I planted in my back garden years ago just upped and died in a heatwave but I planted 2 last year in a shadier spot in the front garden (that might be too shady).
DeleteThat first red bottlebrush is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt is! I wish I had space for one.
DeleteThat's a fantastic Callistemon!! It's ginormous! At first glance, I almost thought it was one of those century-old Rhododendrons - until I realized the size was right, but the flowers too small.
ReplyDeleteI think the Callistemon citrinus I photographed may be 2 shrubs, Anna. Even so, they're big!
DeleteWow, things are looking great. Those two iris are absolutely gorgeous, maybe Iris ensata? The Callistemon is too. I finally found one and will grow it in a pot so it can come in for the winter. Will have to bonsai it to keep it small. They do get huge.
ReplyDeleteI tried an online search of Iris ensata but couldn't find matches for either of the Irises I saw so I gave up. A newsletter published by the garden identified the first one simply as "wild orchid" - not helpful! I hope the Callistemon does well for you in a pot.
DeleteThe SCBG is looking a lot better from a rainy winter. Nice to see the plants there looking healthier. I guess that kind of applies to everywhere in SoCal this year!
ReplyDeleteYes, Mother Nature did us a big favor this year.
DeleteYour Doronicum hirsutum looks very short and dense. The one I had years ago was tall, spindly, and barely bloomed in full sun. I ended up ripping it out I wonder if there are different varieties or if your site is much better for them than mine. I would definitely grow Pelargoinum tomentosum for tose flowers - they almost look like little tied bows. Just curious, what is the groundcover between the flagstone in the area next to the garage - creeping thyme? Thanks for sharing all of these! It was fun seeing them all.
ReplyDeleteI think this comment somehow ended up attached to the wrong post but, yes, the groundcover in between the flagstones in the area next to our garage is creeping thyme.
DeleteIndeed it did. I sometimes have two browsers open so I can look at the pictures and comment as I got through. Obviously I didn't have both open to the same page. Sorry about that!
DeleteNo problem! My confusion was momentary.
DeleteI don't think I can say anything about the Callistemon that already hasn't been said!
ReplyDeleteWith so many gardeners in agreement, the Callistemon's gorgeousness can't be questioned ;)
DeleteYour yellow mystery has flowers like Oxalis, but tall with succulent leaves. Somewhere in that family. Perhaps South American?
ReplyDelete