Posts tagged ‘Tropicals’

Jun 23

Gardens of Windsor Castle

On a recent (and only) trip to England I toured Windsor Castle and gardens. I especially loved the gardens. Read more

Apr 2

Heaven = Wine Country & Gardens

This past weekend we visited the San Francisco area for the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show and to visit Sonoma. The first series of pictures were taken at the show. If you missed it this year then you should really check it out next year. It’s full of garden ideas, inspiration, shopping, seminars and shopping. Oh wait, I already said shopping…

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I need to add more art & sculptures to my garden. I’m missing the small details. That’s why most of my pictures are of items that inspired me and should help me pick affordable art to add to my garden. The second set of pictures were taken at Cornerstone right outside of Sonoma. It’s a beautiful shopping area full of art and display gardens. It’s a must see when visiting Sonoma.

The last set of pictures are of wine tasting at Ravenswood and Chateau St. Jean wineries. We also walked up & down Lombard Street in San Francisco. Just because it was there.

: Japanese Quince bonsai

: Copper owl watching guard

: Copper Armadillo BBQ

: Beautiful wood bench

: Aeoniums

: Celtic Lily water feature

: Stone fragments used for walkway

: Tropical garden

: Artistic balls on show lawn

: Ancient looking Olive tree

: Elephant’s Foot Palm (funny)

: Agave

: Little faces in the Habitat Dance with a Red-Headed Snake garden

: Stone Basins

: Fish reflection

: Koi

: New Orleans Pond with alligators and succulents

: The Living Room (living walls)

: THE chair at Cornerstone

: Metal fencing

: Water feature

: Succulents

: Cement paver made to look like wood

: Water Basin

: Giant Pot

: Mermaid

: Stone filled with succulents

: Our future bathtub

: Driftwood coffee table

: Metal gate filled with flowing water

: Succulents planted with stone pillars

: Garden Sculptures

: Alley leading to large round stone

: Garden art

: Garden from galvanized tunnel

: Alley of trees

: Compost fence

: Woven wood fence

: Agave, Rosemary & a large stone

: Travis

: Cornerstone garden sculptures

: Barn in Cornerstone’s gardens

: Work of art

: Pas de vins poules mouillees

: Chateau St. Jean Garden

: Drinking a bottle of Pino at Chateau St. Jean

: Chateau St. Jean Palm tree

: Bocce Ball at Chateau St. Jean

: Travis & I looking down Lombard Street

: Lombard Street

While we were in town we also visited with a lot of great folks I met online through Twitter.

Jan 26

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Tropical Paradise in Zone 8a

Over the last couple years I’ve become a huge fan of tropical plants with big leaves (and succulents). It all started after seeing a HUGE Hosta during the Queen Ann garden tour a couple years ago and reading an article about a Seattle gardener who successfully grew hardy tropical plants in his garden (I read this article so long ago I can’t remember where I read it).

Since I primarily grow perennials and veggies, I’ve decided it’s time to branch out and get a couple more tropical looking plants for the garden. Last year I grew four Colocasia (Elephant Ears) and LOVED them. I also have a couple big leaf Hostas that I’ve acquired over the years that are perfect for the shadier parts of the garden.

So far this year, I’ve purchased three more Colocaia and two Agave plants. I ordered my new plants from Plant Delights in North Carolina. I’ve heard great things about this nursery so feel pretty good about the quality of plants I’ll receive.

I also plan to purchase a hardy Banana tree and a couple Yucca plants. This is really the extent of my sunny tropical purchases since this will fill most of the available sunny spots in my yard (after I move some plants). I’m especially excited about the Agave and Yucca plants since they look great all year long and will add the needed ‘winter interest’ that’s currently missing in my garden.

I figure what I don’t have room for in the garden, I’ll put in pots for our new patio area. Tropical plants always look amazing in pots.