A Garden Grows in California

16 Aug '07 6:59 am

I just wanted to see again Mark's Gardens, thinking I have seen his latest photos!! And what did I see : that the new great photos were there, and I had only replied to Gordon's post!! It is only a human...head (starting to get older???).....

And thank you, Faith, because with your comments, you made me notice better Mark's great photos! Oh, how I loved my Tibouchina, exactly like yours!! But she was getting very big, I had no space in the glass house for one more huge pot...And she was adopted for good by a good friend, for overwintering in her living room!Fortunately, she had not many pot plants..Yes, me too, I have seen Tibouchinas in S. Fransisco in the size of a tree! They are gorgeous!

16 Aug '07 7:22 pm

In my garden tours post "Subtropical Plants and Gardens" at http://forums.mooseyscountrygarden.com/viewtopic.php?t=1225&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=fe6ef77580cc4390f99eb0f29d327f40 I've posted pictures of huge tibouchina trees in full bloom!

17 Aug '07 3:06 am

I remember when you posted those photos, but thanks for the refresher. It will be interesting to hear back from Mark about his plans for his new Tibouchina. I'm sure he has seen many examples of the large ones we all adore.

17 Aug '07 3:33 am

Wow Jack, those pictures are enough to inflame my plant collecting desires. The Red Flag Muesaenda is incredible as is that large orange-red flowering tree toward the beginning of the set. I surely would like to be able to grow those.

In Berkeley, Princess Flower or Tibouchina shrubs and trees are a common site in frontyard gardens. It is so common it is easy to forget that it is so tender to cold. There seem to be a few different species or cultivars around. One of those I just saw in Jack's photos, where the flowers grow on spires something like a Delphinium, I've only seen at the botanical gardens. The ones which form small trees have wonderful flowers and pretty good folliage. The newer cultivars I've seen have much larger, very velvety folliage but I don't think they get as tall. I believe the one in the pot is one of these. I just got it and wanted to pot it up right away so as not to stunt it but I don't know ultimately where it will go yet. While it is small I think I'll graduate it up through some pots so that I can haul it under cover during a freeze. That area of desolation where the vegetable garden had been is a likely place for it to go along with a couple other small, tender ornamental trees (a yellow flowering Tecoma and a blue flowering pea relative) that live in the shade structure for now.

Faith I have enjoyed my summer freedom very much but this morning I have my first meeting at school. The first day of classes is still a couple of weeks off but now the preparation begins. At least I have a new pond to look at when I need to "rest my attention".

17 Aug '07 3:45 am

Your human headed condition is something you and I have in common.

My computer didn't send me any emails that anyone had responded to my latest Diary post. I finally decided to look for myself. I must have inadvertantly shut that feature off somehow. At Muddywellie's site where I've been going to read some more by Jack and Dixie and Pumpkin, as well as posting a few of my own, I am all thumbs. I can never seem to find what are the newest posts. At least I know the system here even if I bungle the controls from time to time. So don't worry about me, I could very easily do the same. Besides I also felt drawn in my Gordon's night walk on the beach with Joey. It was very pleasant to imagine finding a small fire to huddle next to.

18 Aug '07 5:00 pm

Yesterday I was very good and did finish laying the flagstone around the pond. I will pull some of this up later to place larger stones of another kind and perhaps to make pockets for some plants. First though I will live with it as is. Kind of try it on like a new pair of shoes and see how it suits me. Another perfectly sunny day in the low 80's F meant that I had to go around the garden shooting some more pictures. So here are an assortment of flowers mostly.

18 Aug '07 5:38 pm

Wow, Mark, those are great pictures of your garden! I really enjoy seeing pictures of the dry garden, since it's too rainy here for me to really grow one, and I do love cacti! I also am very impressed with the new pond. I wish mine looked as good! Maybe I'll get enough ambition to change the barrels that make up mine. The ones I have don't hold water and had to be lined and I did a very messy job of it. But now the barrels are full of rocks and soil to make the bog garden so it'll be a real job to empty them without either breaking my back or killing the plants! Rolling Eyes

That's why it keeps getting put on the back burner!

Well, that's it for today - not much garden news from here today!

Cheers!

gordonf

18 Aug '07 8:03 pm

Mark, what beautiful captures!! What lovely light on the blooms!! Excellent colours and lovely details!! Simply garden delights!!

And your pond is so beautiful!! It is my dream for one in our garden... I visualise it all the time....Who knows, maybe this Autumn...I loved the close-up! Water sparkling , feeling, touching, hearing,....it is a pure magic! For the moment, we can hear all the sounds of our kind neighbour's pond....

19 Aug '07 1:47 am

Mark, your new pond turned out so delightfully. I know you are proud and probably spending much time just sitting nearby admiring your handiwork. At least that is how I would be. I am very impressed with your stonework; very professional looking job.

Also, I was again impressed with your photos. You have a very artistic eye, just like Liza and Jack (and of course who could forget our inspirational leader Mary). There are so many talented photographers on this Forum. It's a little intimidating for those of us with more mundane talents in this area (I am not hinting for compliments as this sounds, because I think it is good to recognize our limitations!). However, it does give us incentive to keep trying and growing.

20 Aug '07 12:38 pm

.. as well as for the photography generally. You guys are a hard bunch to please. (Kidding.) I have to admit Faith, I'm into the garden #1 and the photography #2. I like cropping a picture for the sake of showing the garden in its best light rather than for the challenge of making a good photo per se. I always walk away from a job -like the stone work around the pond- greatly aware of the details I wasn't able to get right. So it is always nice to hear from those who just look at it afresh. I'm just so eager to plant around it. So thanks again Gordon, Liza and Faith.

I went to a once-a-year sale yesterday and found a few things I can use. Then I went back and took some photos of what has got to be one of the best gardens in the bay area. At more than an acre it is unusually large for single home around here but boy have they developed it. "They" are a mother/son garden design/build team. He has a hobby of propogating plants which he then sells at these once a year, weekend sales. If any of you come to the bay area again, you've got to go here; I've been invited to come back anytme to shoot more pictures or show friends. Anyhow I will post some photos on the Garden Tours page.

A Garden Grows in California

Sorry, my good Mark!!

Tibouchinas

Thanks to Jack

Tibouchinas and other lovelies

PS Don't worry Liza,

The pond is done for now and a few more photos.

Dry Garden

Mark, SO beautiful babies!!

New pond

Thanks for the approval on the pond ..