Rude, Rustic Rose Relative .. Rubus r. 'Coronarius'

Rubus rosifolius 'Coronarious'

Plant lust can make a gardener quite mad. In the early days of Alice's Garden, I would read about an unusual specimen in a gardening magazine and simply have to have it. The photo - scanned from a slide - illustrates a particularly spiny... or let's just say a painfully bristly, barbed relative of the genus Rosa: A Rubus species grown for its fluffy white multi-petaled blooms.

As mentioned, the beauty of Rubus rosifolius 'Coronarious' had been highly touted in-print by a beloved and renowned writer/plantsman. And I did swoon when the glowing flowers of this humble yet elegant long-blooming bramble appeared along the back fence in my secret garden.

Yet after a time I decided to remove it.

Plants come and plants go in the life of any garden, and certainly in the small space I cultivate in Northern California. I often look fondly upon this beauty when perusing my collection of 35 mm garden slides, recalling my tussles with its canes, as well as the excitement of observing the way the flowers would light up an out-of-the-way spot in the garden, alongside a narrow pathway.

Do you grow R. r. 'Coronarious' ... or another ornamental bramble?

Greenhouse with View! Rose Terrace - Alcatraz Gardens

Volunteer efforts enliven the Gardens of Alcatraz Island

...in countless ways.

Photos © Copyright Alice Joyce - Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Recently... 
these delightful beds and paths have taken shape,

...not to mention a beautiful new greenhouse on the Rose Terrace.

The structure is dedicated to Carola Ashford, The Garden Conservancy's first project manager for restoration of the Alcatraz gardens. The greenhouse fits inside the foundation of the original. In November 2009 volunteers started work, and by mid-February they had completed the task!

Link to:

The Garden Conservancy

Alcatraz Historic Gardens

A Floral "Berry Basket" ... Zinnias To Die For!

It's the 6th of July and I'm in a state of bliss, filling vases with the colorfully vibrant blooms of

Zinnia 'Berry Basket'

T., my personal veggie gardener, has been kind enough to make room in his allotment for these long-stemmed cutting flowers (another trial packet sent by Renee's Garden Seeds). Must say, I've been impressed by the incredible length of the stems, as with Cosmos 'Rose Bon Bon.'

As for the variety name for these Zinnias, it couldn't not be more spot-on: Luscious colors that conjure up a basket of succulent berries, though I'm not certain what the pink represents.

What petal pink berries do you grow?

Frilly, Rosy Blooms of Summer - Cosmos 'Rose Bon Bon'

Summer has officially arrived! And the season is heralded by some of the prettiest blooms for bouquets I could conjure up, were I in the business of developing long-stem cutting flowers.

In fact, Renee's Garden sent a few packets of seeds to trial.

And here is my first bouquet of Cosmos "Rose Bon Bon" - a new variety for 2010.

Plants began blooming last week in the full-sun of my 'cutting garden' ... aka T's allotment.

A plot at a community garden on the grounds of an old estate in our town.

Sadly, there's all too little full-sun in my garden these days.

Still, I planted a few seeds in a terra cotta pot, placing it in the sunniest spot on our tiny pebble patio, alongside a stone bench.

A large bloom opened yesterday, and I quickly clipped it and brought it inside to enjoy, along with flowers T brought home on Monday.

T. tells me there's quite a crop of my favorite Zinnias from Renee's Garden - 'Apricot Blush.'

He's promised to bring them home for a holiday gathering on Sunday, when friends are coming by for sparkling wine & antipasto.

I'm impressed by the fine quality seeds sent by Renee's Garden ...

... beguiling annuals that bloom lavishly.

Thank you, T., for setting aside a place to tend my flowers among your myriad tomato plants!!

Photo shows the flowers backlit on the kitchen counter, backed by glass-block windows.

The petals' translucent character is lovely.

On the Subject of Garden Seating! Westbury Court

A magnificent 400-year-old evergreen oak growing at Westbury Court Garden.

Continuing the topic of benches and garden seating... a throne-like structure

...that complements Westbury Court's formal Dutch water gardens,

rescued by The National Trust after many years of neglect.

The bench inscription reads: To remember Hugo Colchester Memyss - 1910-1974

Representing the last of his family at WESTBURY COURT.

Link to Westbury Court Garden:

A Dutch Landscape in England: Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Essential Focal Point! A Parade of Garden Benches

One of the benches at .. Veddw in Wales

I can think of no other garden element as essential as a bench:

(Above: A private garden, soon to be featured on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz)

Hestercombe - England

An element that can take an intriguing variety of forms...

...while expressing a distinctive style.

Rhododendron Pavilion Stonework - San Francisco Botanical Garden

An element that makes a bold, artful statement!

Stone Bench/Blue Arbor - Alice's Garden

Or adds a highly personal touch. 

An element that can act as an architectural device, yet be totally inviting.

Cornerstone Sonoma - Wine Country

An element of beauty...
...or a spot to simply take in the surroundings.

Sonoma Horticultural Nursery

A form that pays homage to great garden figures such as Lutyens.

Historic Ninfa - Italy

Or reminds visitors of a garden-maker's most treasured place to enjoy the landscape.

Rarest of the Rare .. Plantaholic's Pendant Perennial

Campanula takesimana 'Beautiful Trust' ... a Heronswood Nursery introduction

during Dan Hinkley's tenure as owner-in-residence.

A plant that has complete power over me. It's true.

C. t. 'Beautiful Trust' was ordered from Heronswood Nursery during the garden's early years, when each and every plant was carefully chosen to fill in the new beds and borders being created from scratch.

Other unusual Heronswood varieties did not survive. But I kept an eye on this rarity, and when I noticed it failed to thrive in the summer-dry conditions of my hand-watered garden, I lifted the unusual specimen from the ground and moved it to a prime spot where it could be pampered and doted upon.

Now it grows in a large galvanized tub in the sunniest spot on our pebble patio. Anxiously, I await the bloom each summer, and when the first flowers appear, I gaze delightedly from a bench alongside the planter, admiring the purest white "strap-like ...reflexed petals."

In an email, Dan Hinkley shared an often-quoted story with me about the uncommon plant:

"The ... name is somewhat humorously incorrect. The gentleman who found this and gave it to me in South Korea, Song Kihun, showed up with the plant labeled 'Beautiful Trust' the morning I was about to leave the country - (after a) night of farewells and a great number of toasts. He realized he had written the label wrong at that time - it was meant to be 'Beautiful Truth', a literal translation of his daughter's name, and told me so. By the time I got home with it, the correction was long out of my memory and it was thusly introduced under the wrong name."

Ravishing Miss Ruby .. Butterfly Love!

Ravishing 'Miss Ruby' arrived on my doorstep as a small plant just last year, and in a short window of time, the new compact Buddleia cultivar has shown itself to be a keeper. Proven Winners / ColorChoice sent it to trial - one of the perks of being a garden writer. The color is admirable, far richer and more intense than any buddleia I've grown since moving to California.

Here's Buddleia X 'Miss Ruby' enjoying a sun bath in late-spring. A butterfly bush that blooms like blazes, even before the first day of summer. 'Miss Ruby' has been developed to grow more compactly than the giant butterfly bushes I see when walking around my town. Originally a summer community for San Francisco residents, the town's small cottages remain as vestiges of the old days, along with well-established shrubs such as buddleias with thick trunks, growing streetside for screening and privacy.

Yesterday a marketing person explained that unlike older varieties, 'Miss Ruby' produces vary little viable seed, so the plant should not be invasive. It's certainly a profuse bloomer! Producing enough sprays to enjoy fresh bouquets continuously these past few weeks. And still, the shrub is covered in blooms, attracting a host of swallowtail butterflies.

Tis the Season for Lavender & Roses - Summery Scenes

Tis the season for lavender and roses!

Summery Scenes from a garden visit in Northern California:

On one day only these private gardens open their gates as part of

The Garden Conservancy ... Open Days Program.

As promised, a few glimpses of one of the featured gardens on this year's Open Days, which coincided with peak rose bloom.

Above: Austin's Rosa 'Graham Thomas' perhaps?

Pictured below: One of the stately homes featured on last weekend's open gardens.

On this extensive property, the dense greenery of shrubs, vines, and mature trees provides plenty of shady nooks.

The historic Victorian house and grounds have recently undergone a comprehensive restoration.

As our dry season generally persists for six months of the year, a pool is a welcome addition to the landscape.

Perhaps the most beautiful mature dogwood I've ever come upon, with pale, buttery yellow bracts. Despite the construction work, the tree appeared extremely healthy.

Central Water Feature with a Classical Theme

The Dogwood in all its glory.

Rose draped arbors helped to define the garden's intimate spaces.

A greenhouse filled with colorful succulents and tender specimens, amidst a welcoming layout of rose beds combined with perennial plantings to attract beneficial insects, butterflies and birds.

An intimate garden room where visitors seemed to naturally congregate amid the aromatic herbs & roses.

Count Your Chickens! .. Artful Edible Gardenscapes

COUNT YOUR CHICKENS - IN YOUR EDIBLE GARDEN

Workshop at The Marin Art & Garden Center - Friday, June 18th.

Pictured: Pollinator Garden designed by Kate Frey, one of the presenters.

News of another timely workshop from The Garden Conservancy! To feature a morning of talks, a farm-fresh lunch, & afternoon garden visits followed by a reception.

Pictured: Private edible garden designed by Blasen Landscape Architecture

Photo: Shirley Collenette

The Norwood Garden will also be featured on the day's garden tours. Photo: Marion Brenner

The workshop's focus: Growing edibles in your home garden, dipping into the topics of both cooking and gardening. There'll be a history lesson on classical kitchen gardens and contemporary design, along with short talks that promise to whet the appetite for growing plants for flavor; mixing ornamentals and edibles; the charm of chickens; and an aspect I think of as basic stewardship: Creating the sort of healthy environment that attracts pollinators.

Artichoke Bloom from Nancy Goslee Power's book: Power of Gardens

I'm a great fan of the design work of Nancy Goslee Power and Associates, whose projects include the Norton Simon Museum Sculpture Garden. But I've yet to have the chance to hear her speak, so I'm anticipating what she will share in her presentation:

Fields to Front Yards: A History of Classical Kitchen Gardens

I've only mentioned a few of the speakers and topics. There's much more, along with the afternoon visits to two kitchen gardens in Marin County, another workshop highlight.

Shirley Collenette's garden is one I've wanted to visit for quite some time.

In the final garden of the day, wine will be served and participants will have a chance to chat.

The Marin Art & Garden Center is at 30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, in Ross, California.

Workshop hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Details and registration online:

www.gardenconservancy.org