Beschorneria Bloom: An Update

Beschorneria yuccoides

(Note: This is an updated post with the spelling corrected: The plant is not blooming now, but ... it has had pups!  Multiple plant offsets have formed at the base and I'm in the process of detaching a few.)

With each passing day the Beschorneria flowering stalk continues to unfurl.

The weather persists in a strangely cold and wet pattern, despite having entered the Bay Area's dry season. Still, the garden has enjoyed a thorough, natural, watering and that's a good thing!

Part 1 - Mexican Lily .. Countdown to Bloom

San Francisco Flower and Garden Show

Part I - A handful of highlights from the 2012 San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

GardenMob by Saunders Design

featured expansive walls representing "upcycled landfill rescue materials,"

a long rectangular pool and colorful Rhodies.

Below: The PLANit Green garden demonstrated the successful use of recycled 'Urbanite' as a hardscape material, reclaimed wood, recycled glass, and local rock.

Created by the West Valley College Landscape Architecture Student Club and Habitat Horticulture,

the minimal design is set off by a cool color scheme, with planted pillars as focal points,

and a massed planting of Astelia 'Red Gem.' 

Savanna! 

An engaging garden on every level of sensory experience, designed by the guru of grasses, John Greenlee.

 

Today: Saturday March 24th at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show Gala, this fabulous garden will be raffled off - value $25,000 - to benefit the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society.

To read more, visit... Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Mariposa Gardening and Design 

Their stonework is always outstanding!

Photos © Alice Joyce

The Darjit garden, with its golden dragon sculpture by Kobi Beck, drew plenty of crowds as show visitors posed for photo opportunities. The material, Darjit utilizes primarily recycled paper together with a mix of china clay, rock powder and cellulose fibre.

An excellent selection of beautiful poster art at the ...

Vintage European Posters booth: 

The company is located in Berkeley on Fourth Street.

Seriously Stormy: Thornless Flowering Quince

Early Spring Bloomers...

My garden boasts new blooming shrubs this Spring, in shades of scarlet and orange.

Photo: Courtesy Proven Winners

The shrubs are thornless varieties of Double Take flowering quince and they're proving to be an excellent addition to Alice's Garden.  Some time in May last year the plant shipment arrived, sent to me by Proven Winners to trial.  I planted an "Orange Storm' in the enclosed front patio area and another in the main garden outside the french doors at the rear of the house.

The showy, double flowers began opening in early March. Now fully open, stems have many more flower buds forming. As you can see, they look a lot like camellias, though not as large. They are quite a bit bigger and with a more beguiling form than the flowers on species shrubs.

Flowering Quince Double Take 'Orange Storm'  - Chaenomeles 
Photos © Alice Joyce

Double Take 'Scarlet Storm' - Chaenomeles 

One of the'Scarlet Storm' plants has been planted in a rather sequestered spot in my garden. I'm glad to see tall stems emerging as they seek the light. 

'Pink Storm' is planted in T's sunny community garden in our town center, where it receives full sun; more than anywhere here at home. Another is planted at my friend's plot a block away, where I can keep an eye on it. There's been so much rain lately that I haven't had a chance to photograph the pink form, but it's blooming abundantly and clearly thriving at the community garden plot. I'll surely continue to photograph these beauties. I'm smitten!

Garden Art: The Tempo in Tucson

My travels in Tucson yielded much to share when time permits. 

For now, I'll tempt readers with two exceptional streetside vignettes that I photographed just down the street from the centrally located Arizona Inn.

These artworks pointed to the generosity of local home owners. In sharing such creative artworks, they've  enhanced the surroundings for all who pass by. 

I certainly wouldn't have guessed that taking a short stroll in the neighborhood would prove so gratifying. Perhaps you'll agree, the colorful gateway and stunning wall treatment make walking in this area a visual treat.

Arizona Inn .. Gracious Gardens

Stay tuned for features on my travels in Tucson.

Here's a sneak peek of the gardens at the historic property where I stayed for a couple nights: the Arizona Inn.

Forgive the iPhone photo - real photographs and trip details soon to follow!