Point Lobos Vista

A day of hiking in California ... Point Lobos State Nature Reserve

Life is good.

"Walk Gently, Breathe Deeply, Reflect"

East Bay Birds, Butterflies, Wildlife: UCBG Faunal Guide

The University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley has published a foldout guide to illustrate the wealth of birds, butterflies, and wildlife inhabiting the East Bay Hills... "bounded by Hayward and Wildcat earthquake faults... of the Pacific Coast Range."

Both trained zoologists, Garden Director, Paul Licht and Chris Carmichael, Associate Director of Collections & Horticulture, have created an informative, beautifully produced, pocket-size and plasticized pamphlet to enhance any area outing you might undertake.

The guide is available in the UCB Garden Shop...

Click on this link to read more

Read more about UCBG at Berkeley on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

A Sinuous Sussex Landscape: Land Art in Lewes

During my Springtime sojourn to England, I basked in the horticulture and garden design of London's Chelsea Flower Show. And after all the hustle and bustle of London, one of my favorite destinations, I took a side trip to the county town of Lewes in East Sussex. At the edge of town in a local nature reserve, I encountered the sinuous pattern of a land art installation by Chris Drury: Heart of Reeds.

[Photos © Alice Joyce]

From the overlook you can discern the twists and turns emerging in the artist's design for the wetland planting. A double vortex pattern is meant to symbolize the connection between the environment and those of us who care for it.

Overlooking Alfriston: Cuckmere Valley [Photo © Alice Joyce]

The surrounding landscape of the South Downs is picture perfect in every way.

Even on a damp day in May, the vistas are breathtaking.

Read more about the Chelsea Flower Show and Sussex on my web site: 
Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Nature Beckons... Morro Rock

Morro Rock (Photo: Kjkolb Wikipedia)

Morro Rock Photo © Alice Joyce

Not far from the cities of Paso Robles & San Luis Obispo on California's Central Coast, the magnificent outcrop of Morro Rock emerges from the Pacific Ocean. One element of the so-called Nine Sisters, Morro Rock is referred to as a 'volcanic plug' on Wikipedia. "There are nine volcanic peaks and hills between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo... The peaks were created over 20,000,000 years ago as volcanic ... magma which welled up .. inside softer rock which has since eroded."

Read more on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Aah... Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve!

The stunning natural beauty of the

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Wildflower season spans the Springtime months, however, the Fall is also a great time to visit this California State Park. Its eight miles of trails wind through western Mojave Desert grasslands.

Watch for critters such as scorpions and lizards, gopher and rattlesnakes, coyote and bobcat.

Garden Encounters with Wildlife!

Strutting in a hidden Garden in Granada ... Carmen de los Martires

Gargoyle .. Grotesque? A creature encountered

 in Valencia's Turia Gardens,

keeping watch over the Bridge of the Guardian Angel.

Perhaps you can identify this lizard species.

Enjoying a sunbath in the Anza-Borrego desert landscape, while hiding in plain sight:

Its coloration perfectly matches the environment.

[My thanks to Hugh at Rock Paper Lizard

for helping to I.D. the Desert Iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis]

We're certain we saw this roadrunner in the hotel parking lot when we were in Desert Hot Springs a few years ago. Such fun to see him again!

Hedgehog (cactus:-)