A Garden in the Redwoods

I am thinking about my friends' garden in Bonny Doon, California on the central coast. The area was settled in the 1850's as a logging camp.

The garden is terraced and steps down to a stream and a redwood forest beyond.

Their house was once a school, built in the late 19th century for the loggers' children.

Potted annuals, Japanese maples and Echium candicans grow throughout the garden.

Agaves and Succulents in my Neighborhood

Winter Solstice

Now the days

will begin

to

get

longer.

December in my Neighborhood

Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

Lantana

Golden Dewdrop (Duranta repens)

Coast Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)

Michaelmas Daisies (Aster amellus)

Madrona (Arbutus menziesii)

Climbing Penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia)

December in my Garden

My garden is not entirely dormant in December.  Among the early winter blooming plants are: Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae),

Narcissus,

and Abutilon x hybridum.

Among the plants that are blooming all year long: Heliotropium aborescens alba,

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima),

and the Geraniums, both, Pelargonium zonale and

the Ivy Geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum).

Clivia Miniata Seeds

In late spring I can gather the berries from my Clivia Miniata plants.

Inside the berries are seeds

which I place in pots.

After many weeks the seeds germinate and

I put them in larger pots.

The plants grow very slowly and it will take about six years before they are large enough

to bloom.

The Hammer Museum

This is the garden area of the Hammer Museum which opened in 1990 in Westwood, California. Since 1994 it has been operated by UCLA.

Planters of bamboo are used as barriers and screens.

These are Spun Chairs by Thomas Heatherwick, designer of buildings and bridges and objects and spaces.

Among the artwork on exhibit now are landscape paintings by Canadian artist, Lawren Harris.

Autumn in my Neighborhood

Searching for fall color in my neighborhood, I found:Pomegranate (Punica granatum),

Oakleaf Hydrangea  (Hydrangea quercifolia),

Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis),

Ginko biloba,

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus),

and the most colorful of all the Liquidambar styraciflua, with leaves of

many colors

all on

one tree.