Magnolias .. Spring in the Bay Area

Magnolia sighting while strolling a lovely side street north of the Golden Gate Bridge:                                                                                 

A sure sign of Springtime in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Brilliant! San Francisco Tiled Steps

Have you noticed the dearth of posts recently?

Yesterday I spent the entire day working in the garden. It's the time of year when I like to revamp the design; editing plants, cutting back, deadheading, and other such tasks.

Friday I took a day off, going into San Francisco on a cool, foggy summer day - typical weather.

The aim: to hike up the beautifully worked 'Tiled Steps' - a project completed at 16th Avenue & Moraga, Inner Sunset neighborhood. Followed by a tasty lunch at The Liberty Cafe in Bernal Heights. 

www.tiledsteps.org

Check it out!

Andy Goldsworthy: Wood Line - San Francisco Presidio

Wood Line

[Photo by Monique Deschaines]

Aficionados of Andy Goldsworthy's artworks are legion. All the more reason to make your way to the Presidio of San Francisco, where the artist's newest installation has been created in a grove of eucalyptus. You'll find Wood Line just inside the park's Presidio Gate along Presidio Boulevard. The work represents a project commissioned by the FOR-SITE Foundation, partnering with the Presidio Trust.

Read about Goldsworthy's earlier Presidio installation: the Spire

Note: The Presidio Habitats exhibition featured on Bay Area Tendrils in April will close Oct. 2nd.

A permanent site-specific work by Goldsworthy is located in the entry courtyard

of the de Young Museum: Drawn Stone

"takes its inspiration from the unique character of California’s tectonic topography. Goldsworthy has created a continuous crack running north from the edge of the Music Concourse roadway in front of the museum, up the main walkway, into the exterior courtyard, and to the main entrance door. Along its path, this crack bisects -- and cleaves in two -- large rough-hewn stone slabs that serve as seating for museum visitors."

Patrick Blanc: Vertical Gardens Update

Patrick Blanc Vertical Gardens: London and San Francisco

Detail: Heuchera Bloom at Drew School Living Wall - Photos © Alice Joyce

May 2011 Athenaeum Hotel, London

Compare images below from 2010 with those taken this Spring, and you'll see evidence of amazingly lush growth from one year to the next. Photos © Alice Joyce

Athenaeum Hotel's Vertical Garden completed in 2009 Photo © Alice Joyce

Spring Blooms - April 2011 Drew School Vertical Garden, San Francisco: Planted February 2011 -- I'll visit soon to update photos of the living wall's native plantings.

April 2011 ... Drew School Vertical Garden - San Francisco

Verdantly Vertical on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Art in Nature: Presidio Habitats Extended!

Good news! The Presidio Habitats Exhibition has been extended through summer.

If you're in the Bay Area, or have planned a visit to San Francisco, you'll want to stop by The Presidio to take a self-guided tour or guided walk to explore the diverse approaches of these

temporary, outdoor site-based installations set amidst the Fort Scott area.

The Presidio is a beautiful landscape with a fascinating history. Amazing to think that for more than 200 years the land was a military site, encompassing Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. eras. Architecture buffs will appreciate the significance of the Presidio's buildings, now part of a wide-ranging preservation project.

http://www.presidio.gov/history/history/

And near the Presidio's Arguello Gate, you won't want to miss seeing

Andy Goldworthy's installation: The Spire

Regarding the special PRESIDIO HABITATS exhibition: Each work is about a 'habitat' meant to serve "an animal client," as the brochure explains.

Before walking the grounds to see the 11 installations, you'll want to begin at the Exhibition Pavilion where a larger group of submitted proposals are on view. For more information, visit:

http://www.presidio.gov/experiences/habitats/

The show is organized by the FOR-SITE FOUNDATION - web site:

http://www.for-site.org/

A Landmark Living Wall of Native Plants

Photo, Courtesy Patrick Blanc

The Bay Area is abuzz, and I'm exhilarated! The very thought of innovative botanist, Patrick Blanc creating a large-scale project in San Francisco - my back yard so to speak - has the entire horticultural community in a state of excitement! And the general public, too, especially the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. Imagine going out for a stroll and discovering a living wall taking shape before your eyes: It's the largest project Blanc has undertaken to-date in the United States.

Patrick Blanc at the February 10th press briefing.

(photo: Alice Joyce)

The placards flanking Patrick show: to the left in the photo - a selection of the native California species being planted; and on the right, Patrick's sketch of the design with the plant names indicated.

A detailed post about the project taking place at The Drew School is now posted on:

Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

You might like to read about Patrick's...

Verdantly Vertical Living Wall at London's Athenaeum Hotel

Hidden in Russian Hill: Fay Park

San Francisco's crookedest ... Lombard Street, Russian Hill -- A serious photo op for tourists.

Photo: Wikipedia

Fay Park: Open Daily 10am to 4pm

Continue down Lombard Street a bit to Leavenworth and you'll discover a tiny, albeit, delightful city park designed by the Mid-Century Modern landscape architect, Thomas Church.

California Garden & Landscape History Society Web Site Photo: Copyright Susan Chamberlin

Thomas Church is surely best known for his design of an iconic American landscape: El Novillero, the Donnell Garden. Although I live nearby, I've yet to be free on a day when the private garden has opened for special events.

Fay Park also holds a unique place in American landscape architecture, as it's believed to be the only residential garden designed by Church that is now regularly open to the community and visitors, alike.

San Francisco Parks & Recreation Department worked to restored Fay Park. A neighborhood group, the Friends of Fay Park helps to keep the garden looking lovely year-round. The city has been enriched by the very special bequest of Mrs. Mary Fay Berrigan, who gifted her home and garden to San Francisco. Should you visit the city by the bay, hop off the cable car, or walk up from North Beach: You'll want to take some time to relax in the serene oasis of this park, where beds of roses bloom for months on end.

**Fay Park is a popular setting for weddings, so you may find a celebration in progress.**

Locavore Heaven! Ferry Plaza Farmers Market - San Francisco

Pomegranate luv! at the San Francisco Farmers Market

San Francisco's beautifully restored Ferry Building at the Embarcadero: Gourmet shops and the Farmers Market offer the finest local foods: breads & pastry, seafood & meat,

herbs, olive oil & flowers.

Tourists flock to the area for the engaging ambience, not to mention chocolates & gelato.

Buddha's Hand : Citrus medica

Saturday was reserved for a winter day in the sunshine.

During my graduate studies, I lived in the city for two years, but I still can't get over the dress code in San Francisco -- Flip-flops throughout the year, no matter what the temperature!

Although the peel of this citrus variety is quite thick, it is an extremely fragrant fruit that grows on a small tree or shrub. I have no personal experience growing it, and wonder....

have you ever grown this tender plant indoors or in your garden?

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Beaux Arts-style Ferry Building was constructed in 1898, with a clock tower some 245 feet tall situated at the foot of Market Street. Restoration was completed in 2003. You must see the building's stunning interior if you visit. It's a breathtakingly beautiful architectural space, with a 660-foot long sky lit Nave and marble mosaic floor.

Visitor Information

Curving.. Flowing.. Sinuous Design - Wave Garden Part II

Another look at the Wave Garden: Hardscape, artwork and plantings. Kellee Adams, the plant-scape designer selected species from the 5 Mediterranean regions of the world to enliven a drought-tolerant landscape.

The rosettes of Aeonium 'Sunburst' effectively repeat the harmonious lines appearing throughout the garden, where Victor Amador, the garden's third-generation concrete contractor/designer worked intuitively, applying an organic approach to the creation of walls, stairs, walkways, and special focal points.

The curving planes of a wall embrace a bevy of drought tolerant plants.

The alluring, sinuous lines of hand-crafted iron work are outstanding.

Red Conebush .. The Wave Garden - A Sneak Peek

UNDER CONSTRUCTION...







The glory of South African plants .. bringing color to Bay Area gardens in Winter!

Here's a sneak peek of an amazing landscape created in the East Bay over the previous decade:

-- The Wave Garden --

filled with an incredible palette of plants and an exceptional hardscape.

Leucadendron salignum .. aka Summer Red Conebush is looking especially beautiful right now.

The garden takes in vistas of San Francisco Bay, Richmond Bridge, and Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County.

An in-depth feature on the Wave Garden appears on: Alice's Garden Travel Buzz.

To all my garden blogging amigos, Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Thank you May Dreams Gardens : Now following @IndyGardener on Twitter!

The Hortiphile! Luculias at San Francisco Botanical Garden

Searching the internet can be enlightening.

As it was the other day when I discovered 'The Hortiphile' -- San Francisco Botanical Garden's blog written by Lisa Van Cleef: Lisa's not only super-savvy about plants, but a wonderfully engaging writer, too.

Richly fragrant Luculia had a starring role in a recent post: Photo courtesy of San Francisco Botanical Garden

Luculias grow in the Rhododendron, Asian Discovery, and Moon Viewing Gardens.

Should you be in the Bay Area, pencil in a visit to SFBG - a must-see on any itinerary!

Luculia - Plant of the Moment

Snowy Egrets! The Gardens of Alcatraz Island

Restoration of the historic Alcatraz Island gardens is ongoing.

The island is reached via a short ferry ride from San Francisco.

On a recent trip to see the lush spring bloom throughout the Gardens of Alcatraz,

I took countless photos that must be sorted and labeled.

Look for an in-depth feature to appear very soon on: Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

One delightful aspect of the tour: An opportunity to peek through the vegetation and see the fluffy feathers of young Snowy Egrets!

Sorry, but it was impossible to get a good photo, as the birds are ensconced in such dense thickets.

As the sign mentions, the egrets are able to find plenty of food in tidepools and at island's edge.

No problem getting close to the seagulls!

Getting there: http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

To learn more about visiting the gardens: www.alcatrazgardens.org

Click here: Gardens of Alcatraz on Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

Wildflower Walk .. Mt. Tamalpais .. Marin County

Pacific Coast Iris ... quite tiny but what a presence!

Wildflower season on the trails around Mt. Tamalpais, and Marin County's Bon Tempe Lake.

Lemon yellow blooms ... Coast sun cup, perhaps.

Mt Tamalpais

Alligator lizard: Didn't mean to frighten you!

Life cycle of the woodland: A stumpery to please Prince Charles.

Abstraction: Rusty orange rock face.

Baby blue ... brightening a shady spot.

Cynoglossum grande

Native Plant Restoration & Andy Goldsworthy at The Presidio

Winter blooming California Lilac - Ceanothus thrysiflorus at The Presidio of San Francisco, where reforestation & restoration of native plant habitats is ongoing.

At The Presidio: The Spire, a sculptural installation by Andy Goldsworthy. 

Redirect:  Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Spring Fling! ... Filoli

In the knot garden, Celtic patterns are woven with emerald germander, violet-hued Japanese barberry, soft lavender, and silvery santolina with its perky yellow flowers.

Filoli ... glorious in Spring!

Historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Photos: Filoli

Spring Fling takes place on Saturday, March 20, 2010, an event especially for families!

You'll have a rare chance to see historic greenhouses sheltering plants that have been in Filoli’s collection from 1920 to the present: Carnivorous species, unusual bromeliads, orchids, and edible tropical plants, among them. 

There'll be activities for children, garden docents on-hand to answer questions, music, puppet shows and more! 

Link to Filoli on:  Garden Travel Buzz  

- column on the right -

Samuel Taylor State Park, Marin County

Indian paintbrush / Castilleja affinis

One of the wildflowers found growing in Samuel Taylor State Park.

Taylor State Park - located 15 miles west of San Rafael off Highway 101 -

Central San Rafael exit, not far from San Francisco.

Taylor State Park became lost in the glow of 

yesterday's anniversary post.

Approach the park along Sir Francis Drake, driving through groves of towering redwoods

that embrace sections of the roadway.

Listed on the California State Parks website, the park encompasses hiking, biking & nature trails, places to picnic, and campsites.

Winter Color! San Francisco Botanical Garden Succulents

"San Francisco's mild temperatures and rare winter frost make it possible to grow a great diversity of plants..." 

Succulents in the Entry Border

After more than a decade of living in the Bay Area, the wintertime displays 

of vividly colorful succulent plants still hold me spellbound.

  Visitors to the San Francisco Botanical Garden will find the fan aloe among the

Entry Garden's eye-catching succulent specimens. 

Aloe plicatilis - Photo: Joanne Taylor

 At the Garden ... the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society's Newsletter:

"Gracing the hills and mountains of Cape Province in South Africa, Aloe plicatilis, or "Fan Aloe," adds drama to our Garden with its fan-like arrangement of fleshy leaves tipped in orange. The species name, "plicatilis," means fan-like, pleated or folding together. 

The fans of leaves display in two opposing rows with a spike of scarlet tubular flowers rising from the center 

on a tall solitary stem. 

Look for Aloe plicatilis in the South Africa Garden and in this month's In Bloom feature, 

complete with photos, a plant profile and exact locations."

Besotted in Berkeley! UC Botanical Garden

Babiana ringens - the South African baboon flower grows in the South Africa - Karoo section of the UC Botanical Garden. The Great Karoo, a region of hot, arid plains: A vast landscape where an amazing 9000 plant species appear (www.centralkaroo.ca.za/).

Photos Courtesy : University of California Botanical Garden

Arisaema sikokianum - the cobra lily grows in the Garden's Asia section, encompassing microclimates and habitats from sunny havens to shady glens. I'm besotted by the dazzling shapes and forms of these botanical treasures!

Regardless of the time of year,  a visit to the UC Botanical Garden surprises and delights.

Cornus florida urbiana ... Mexican dogwood, growing in the UCBG Mesoamerica section.

Plants from mountainous areas, as well as the cloud forests of Mexico and Central America 

appear in this area of the Garden. Gardeners in the San Francisco Bay Area incorporate many of these species into our mixed borders, from agaves and dahlias to salvias and fuchsias. Click on link for more on the University of California Botanical Garden:

http://bayareatendrils.blogspot.com/2009/11/enchanted-flora-uc-botanical-garden.html