A visit too long delayed (Sherman Gardens)

I knew it'd been awhile since I'd visited Sherman Gardens in Corona Del Mar but I was surprised when I realized it'd been more than a year.  The garden is small but well maintained and there's always something interesting to see there.  On average, I've paid two visits a year.  A friend now volunteers there every week and, along with two other friends, we reached an arrangement to meet up there, even though we all live in California's South Bay area.  The four of us formerly saw each other once a week or more when we were volunteer docents at South Coast Botanic Garden but the docent role was eliminated as a byproduct of the COVID pandemic and our paths cross far less often.

We arranged to meet at a nearby restaurant for lunch before touring the garden.  Although the distance from my home to Corona Del Mar is only fifty miles, that trip can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half so I allowed myself extra time to get there.  As the traffic gods were with me, I arrived about twenty minutes early and spent some of that time strolling the garden's exterior perimeter.

View of the front of Sherman Library & Gardens where it faces the Pacific Coast Highway

One side of the garden's perimeter is covered by espaliered Calliandra haematocephala shrubs (aka red powder puff), one of the plants I'm eliminating from my garden because it collects dry debris, but then this garden is constantly maintained and also not located in a fire risk area.  I found another, beefier Calliandra, accented by Aloes, on the opposite end of the exterior wall.

Following lunch, we toured the garden with Kay, now a Sherman's docent, pointing out the highlights.  The sun was high in the sky at that point so I offer my apologies in advance for the sharp shade-sun contrasts in many cases.

This is the Central Garden just inside one of the garden's main entrances.  It's replanted on a seasonal basis.  The beds were currently filled with Anemones and Ranunculus.

While my friends checked out the gift shop I admired the bright purple Petrea volubilis, a tropical vine commonly known as queen's wreath, covering an arbor in the Tea Garden

We passed through the Tea Garden on the way to the Succulent Garden.

An assortment of bromeliads and succulents filled this former fountain, turned container.  Also note the small succulents planted in the spaces between the steps on the left.

One densely planted corner, including a container showcasing a blue Cycad (Encephalartos horridus).  A partial list of the plants in the Succulent Garden can be found here.

The edging of this section of the Succulent Garden is elaborately patterned

Another corner of the Succulent Garden, further demonstrating that one can never have enough rock in such areas

I fixated on the massive Agave in the background here (which I can't identify) and its equally massive asparagus-like stalk.  Kay pointed out the huge trunk of a tree-like Euphorbia to its left (for which I also don't have an ID) and I was shocked.  

For comparison, this photo shows what that giant Euphorbia looked like in November 2023.  Apparently, excess water accumulated over the years, causing the plant to gradually rot and the plant was recently cut down.

This area of the Succulent Garden has undergone significant changes since I was last there too.  Again, note the heavy use of rock, as well as the use of numerous containers inserted within the bed.

These are a couple of closeups of the same renovated area

We checked out the Mediterranean Climate Garden next.

The yellow flowers of Leucospermum cordifolium were meant to be combined with Ceanothus 'Dark Star'.  A partial list of the plants in the Mediterranean Garden can be found here.

Leucadendrons and Leucospermum mingle with a white-flowered Ceanothus here

Other occupants of the Mediterranean Garden include: Euphorbia lambii, Lobelia excelsa, Echium wildpretii (with white flowers), Dudleya, and Sonchus palmensis

The Sun Garden was up next.  The plants are changed out regularly to show off seasonal annuals and perennials.

I didn't get a good photo of the garden's mascot, Sherman the otter, on this occasion because people were always in the way but he's holding that umbrella alongside the pond

Closeups of the some of the annuals currently in bloom

We strolled the Formal Garden next.  For a long time, this area focused on roses.  The online description describes it as a knot garden that mixes hedges and herbs but, on this occasion, I was surprised to see that there was a definite emphasis on succulents, especially Mangaves.

The overturned pots and driftwood additions made this area seem far less formal than it used to be

This area incorporated pillars constructed using fencing wire stuffed with moss and soil, with holes filled by small plants and the pillar topped with Mangaves (mostly 'Mission to Mars').  Some of the other plants are identified here.

Moving along, we wandered through the Orchid Collection.

The featured orchids were mostly Dendrobiums and Cymbidiums

Next up was the Bromeliad Garden, which was in the midst of redesign when I last visited Sherman Gardens in late November 2023.

This area is also heavy on rock, presumably to better showcase the individual bromeliads.  A partial plant list can be found here.

I caught a photo of the garden's workshop nearby with its doors open.

This is the neatest plant workshop I've ever seen!

The last area we toured was the Tropical Conservatory.  This is one of my favorite parts of the garden but, in contrast to the relatively cool outdoor temperature, it was very warm and humid on this occasion and I discovered that the majority of photos I took were foggy.

This photo of the koi pond was the best one I managed, probably because I snapped it immediately after I entered the enclosed space

Highlights in this area include: the resident turtle, a noID bromeliad, what may be an orchid, Pavonia multiflora, and another bromeliad

That's a wrap for my garden activities this week.  I'm scheduled to attend a Hands Off! protest with a friend at the Torrance Civic Center on Saturday.  That should be altogether different!  Have a good weekend, however you intend to spend it.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party