Plant Hunting! 'Blue Heaven' .. VanDusen Botanical Garden

(Photo courtesy VanDusen Botanical Garden)

Wish I could attend this upcoming event at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC.

Bill Terry will be presenting at 7:30 pm in the Garden's Floral Hall on November 11, sharing vignettes of his plant-hunting sojourn at 2700 km while traveling through Sichuan and Tibet.

Bill's tales include sightings of lovely alpine plants, including Meconopsis, the mythic blue poppy known to provoke plant lust in many a gardener. Author of 'Blue Heaven - Encounters with the Blue Poppy' (book will be available), and a grower of the genus, Bill can boast the most diverse collection of Asiatic poppies in North America. Visiting the collection is going on my bucket list!

Tickets in advance or at the door subject to availability.

If you're on FaceBook .. check out this link:

Cedar Lecture: Poppies and Plant Hunting on the Roof of the World

Link to Meconopsis grandis on Bay Area Tendrils

Bewitching Blue Poppies

Link to VanDusen on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Rain Did Not Dampen the Delights .. DeLoach Vineyards

It may be rainy season in Northern California Wine Country, but that did not stop an international coterie of journalists, authors, bloggers & permaculture professionals from enjoying a day of garden touring, wine tasting, and a delectable locavore lunch at DeLoach Vineyards.

At De Loach the entire approach to the land, from the vineyards to the culinary and insectary gardens, is fully organic and biodynamic: Awarded CCOF certification.

Our host, Jean-Charles Boisset applies sustainable principles, biodynamic farming, and organic methods to every aspect of the Boisset estates in California, France, Italy & Québec.

On the local level, in partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank, 100% of the proceeds from one of the excellent wines we tasted -- DeLoach Vinthropic Chardonnay -- are donated to the Food Bank.

Winegrower Eric Pooler spearheaded our tour, and allowed an up-close and personal look at the innovative bio-reactor - one of the first in the industry - that relies on micro-organisms to purify all the water used in the winemaking process so it can be called upon for landscaping and irrigation use.

Maria Mobilia is shown behind the camera, filming the tour for 
Your Garden Show.

In-depth coverage of my day at DeLoach Vineyards ...

Biodynamic Gardens & Wine Tasting on:

Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

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

A Garden Tale Worth Repeating .. Jimmy Nardello Peppers

'Jimmy Nardello'

Returning to my tour of Stone Edge Farm and Vineyards, head gardener Lena introduced me to these delectable sweet red peppers with an intriguing name.

Back home, my curiosity roused, I searched the internet before labeling the photographs I had taken as we explored the farm's ornamental and edible gardens, and the estate's modernist architecture and art.

I found the story about how the peppers were named on the 'Iowa Source' web site.

Reading the history of one Southern Italian gentleman, Giuseppe Nardiello, and his descendants exemplifies the endlessly engaging encounters that a love of gardening affords.

Needless to say, I'm itching to buy seeds and grow a crop next year--at T's community garden, of course! A side note: My Italian father introduced me to a melange of sauteed sweet peppers, and although I was not inclined to indulge as a child,

the zealous foodie I've become is mad about this dish.

Are you serving lunch? 'Potimarron' Winter Squash!

What's for Lunch?

During my visit to Stone Edge Farm and Vineyards, head gardener Lena Hahn-Schuman kindly handed me one of these beautiful 'Potimarron' squash. As the French name indicates, this winter squash is thought to have the flavor of chestnuts. I'll let you know as soon as it's been cooked: A simple preparation is planned - slicing in half and baking.

'Potimarron' is a golden color as it grows, achieving the lovely red-orange hue when fully ripe.

As you can see from the lead photo, chickens are part of the larger ecosystem at Stone Edge, where an approach to sustainable organic farming takes in ornamental and culinary gardens, along with the vineyards and olive trees.

If you're in Northern California, or expect to be in the area, you may want to sign up for the farm's Mailing List, to be notified of special events and receive news of the release of Cabernet Sauvignon and 'Surround' wines,

not to mention the award-winning olive oil produced at Stone Edge Farm.