I visited South Coast Botanic Garden earlier this week, primarily as another exercise in the use of my new camera but also because it's only going to get hotter as the summer progresses so the clock was ticking if I wanted a pleasant stroll. Even though the garden wasn't at the top of its game, I took a lot of photos (practice!) so I'm going to split them into two separate posts. I'll post the second half next Friday.
I left the house later than I'd planned, arriving around 10am, but the marine layer was still firmly in place. I didn't expect it to be crowded on a Wednesday morning, even though Juneteenth is a federal holiday, but the parking lot was nearly full and the garden was packed with families. The schools are out and summer vacation season is clearly already in gear.
The garden is still touting its BLOOM event, which kicked off in April and runs through the end of this month.
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| This Bloom Watch poster listed the following top picks among the flowers in the garden: Fuchsia, Sparaxis, Opuntia x 'Beaver Rita', Lathyrus odoratus, Collinsia heterophylla, mixed Ixia, Eschscholzia californica var maritima, Datura wrightii, and Layia platyglossa. According to the poster, most of these flowers were to be found in the Amphitheater Lawn so I headed there. |
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| Most of what I found there were members of the Clarkia genus, aka farewell-to-spring |
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| There was a large display for use as a photo opportunity |
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| The beds formerly filled with bulb flowers had neatly braided foliage. I've read that this isn't ideal but I have to admit that it looks a lot better than my messy bulb foliage, which I usually end up cutting back earlier than I should. |
The Banyan Grove, one of my very favorite spots in the garden, was nearby so I checked out its current status. It's intended to become a central part of the new children's garden currently under construction so I wasn't sure what to expect.
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| This was one of many banners advertising the plans for the area. It was affixed to the construction fence. |
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| As was the case the last 2 times I visited, the main section of the Banyan Grove is blocked off. It looks like the bulk of the earth moving activity may be finished but I didn't see any sign of building activity. The signs still claim that the children's garden will open in 2024. |
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| On the other side of the tram road, the Ficus petiolaris (left, often called the "ghost tree") and the variegated Ficus benjamina (right) appear unaffected by the building plan |
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| Fortunately, not all the Moreton Bay fig trees (Ficus macrophylla) were cordoned off |
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| The Moreton Bay figs were always popular with kids when I conducted tours of the garden as a docent years ago and I was pleased to see that they still have a chance to clamber over those massive roots even as changes are in progress |
Of course I had to check out the Desert Garden too.
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| View facing the front of the main section of the Desert Garden |
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| One of several huge Agave shawii surrounded by barrel cacti (Echinopsis grusonii) |
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| Euphorbia xanti (aka Baja spurge) always delights me when it's covered with pink and white flowers like this |
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| The California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) seemed right interspersed among the Aloes but the Buddleia was a surprise |
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| I'm not especially impressed by Alluaudia procera (aka Madagascan Ocotillo) in its leafless state during the winter months but it's attractive when it greens up and blooms |
I also checked out the Living Wall, in the area opposite the Desert Garden.
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| The Living Wall looks great, although it seems to be covered in far fewer succulents than was originally the case. It's heavy on ferns and includes Ficus elastica (rubber tree plants) and what looks like it might be small-leaf Scheffleras. |
I took random photos of plants in various areas that grabbed my attention as I continued my stroll.
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| I loved this tree, Calodendrum capense, aka Cape chestnut |
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| Jacarandas are slowly coming into bloom all over my area. They seem a little late to me, but perhaps that's attributable to the cooler temperatures that have accompanied the marine layer. |
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| Seeing these Romneya coulteri (aka Matilija poppy and California tree poppy) reinforces the fact that I was foolish to plant one on my back slope |
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| Other flowering plants, clockwise from the upper left, included Brugmansia, Justicia carnea, Lathyrus odoratus (planted much later than mine), and Plumbago |
That's it for part one of my visit. Best wishes for a pleasant weekend. Wherever you are, I hope it's not too hot!
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I always loved the photos from your walks through the Banyan Grove. Although the future design for the area seem nice enough, I expect the special feeling of the place will be quite changed (with screeching kids about).
ReplyDeleteThe Living Wall is stunning!
Is your Jacaranda getting ready to bloom?
Chavli
I admit to being nervous about the plans for the Banyan Grove, charming as the canopy walk looks in the mock-up, Chavli. My dwarf Jacaranda is once again on the watch list for the chopping block. It had an awkward shape until last week when I threw up my hands and cut 2 good-sized branches that had given it a decidedly wonky look. It once again looks like a leafy shrub rather than a dwarf (but wonky) tree and I've seen no sign of blooms.
DeleteAll of these trees are so amazing. The euphorbia is so beautiful too. What kind of camera did you get?
ReplyDeleteI got the latest generation of the Canon Power Shot, which has more bells and whistles than the original. However, it's about twice as heavy and more awkward to use, at least at this stage in my acquaintance with it.
DeleteThose tree roots are fabulous! What do you dislike about the Matilija poppy? I don't have one, I'm just curious - I always liked how they look like fried eggs. Cape Chestnut is a real beauty.
ReplyDeleteI love the huge flowers of the Matilija poppy but the plant itself is huge and spreads relentlessly via underground runners, Tracy. I thought it'd be manageable on my neglected back slope with minimal irrigation but that was incorrect and it's running amok despite repeated efforts to remove it.
DeleteEven though pink isn't my favorite color, I love that Cape chestnut but accept that it's way too big for my garden and would probably promote complaints from the neighbors (if not also my husband) under our city's "view conservation" ordinance.
I think that huge BLOOM thing is dreadful, but that's just me, haha. The desert garden, OTOH, looks awesome. I've never seen a Euphorbia xanti with so many flowers!!
ReplyDeleteThe BLOOM photo stations are all made up of fake flowers, Gerhard - it bugs me too but few if any displays constructed for that purpose would hold up for 3 months so I guess practicality wins.
DeleteSCBG's Euphorbia xanti blooms reliably every year and it's always covered in flowers. Oddly, I've never seen the plant for sale locally.
The Living Wall looks great but I am surprised by the change to using fewer succulents and more plants that would seem to be higher maintenance, any idea why they've made the change?
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to understand a lot of the moves on the part of the botanic garden staff, Loree. However, I don't think the garden's own personnel are maintaining the Living Wall. As I recall, it was installed by an outside firm, which I believe is also handling its maintenance. Possible explanations for swapping succulents for ferns: 1) the watering system delivered too much moisture for the succulents (at least during our heavier-than-average winter-spring season); 2) the maintenance firm earns more by scheduling frequent visits; and/or 3) someone felt that it was necessary to take a new approach to grab visitor interest. At least the plants aren't fake! I paid a rare visit to a local mall recently for a watch repair and discovered that the once impressive green walls and planters there had been completely replaced by plastic and fabric plants :(
Deleteit was like a delightful adventure, especially with new camera in hand.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be even more fun when the garden completes its renovations ;)
DeleteI enjoy seeing the latest offerings at the SCBG. The Living Wall continues to evolve, looks great. Standouts for me were the Cape Chestnut, Brugmansia and massive Agave. It'll be interesting and fun to have a canopy walk among the Banyan grove! Eliza
ReplyDeleteI hope so, Eliza!
DeleteWe walked through a "forest" of Allaudia and baobabs in Madagascar many years ago. The Allaudia was all in leaf there too, so I've never seen them in the leafless stage. I imagine they look a lot like ocotillo from the Chihuahuan Desert.
ReplyDeleteWow, seeing the Alluaudia in habitat must have been interesting!
DeleteI love a good walk through botanical gardens, but as you say, not in the heat. You've used your camera to capture so much of the garden's beauty. I'm north of you in San Jose, and we're also seeing the Jacanranda's in bloom. It does seem late.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the bulb foliage. It's hard not to cut things back when they're looking tired. I overplanted in a few places, and that has worked well. I need to do more of that.
Alys at gardeningnirvna.
DeleteYes, I need to be more thoughtful about where I plant my bulbs to avoid seeing that homely bulb foliage mature oh-so-slowly over 2+ months! Scilla peruviana is especially annoying in taking its time.
DeleteFun to play with a new camera. :^) You did good.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had to fall back on either of my other cameras :)
Delete