Author Archives: Denise
Sol House/Natural Discourse UCBG 7/13/12
Some intriguing snippets of information and photos are circulating as the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley is transformed for the July 13, 2012 launch of Natural Discourse, an in-situ collaboration among scientists, artists, and the venerable botanical garden. … Continue reading
Karl Blossfeldt Botanical Photogravures
MB Maher brought these incredible antique prints to my attention recently, accompanied by this little note: “This process is ink-based and requires making a steel plate of the photo image with acid baths, high-level light exposures, et cetera, until one … Continue reading
Posted in MB Maher, photography, Plant Portraits
Tagged botanical photogravures, Karl Blossfeldt, MB Maher, photography
5 Comments
African Queen, fore and aft
Trumpet lily ‘African Queen’ this morning.
on the scent of tillandsias
Tillandsias, epiphytic bromeliads or “air plants,” have almost single-handedly elevated the caliber of gifts for people who love plants. Aeriums, terrariums, glass globes, and light bulb shapes like these from Los Angeles-based outdoor living shop Potted have all been inspired … Continue reading
Bloom Day June 2012
I got in too late yesterday for photos for a Bloom Day post, so made a head start last night on checking out the blogs linked on Carol’s May Dreams Gardens host site for Bloom Day. I think that’s the … Continue reading
Posted in Bloom Day, Plant Portraits, succulents
Tagged Allium sphaerocephalum, Aloe distans, Anigozanthos 'Yellow Gem', Argyranthemum haouarytheum, Bouteloua gracilis, Cannonmois grandis, Cannonmois virgata, Eryngium padanifolium, Foliage Followup, International Garden Center & Floral Design, Melinus nerviglumis, Passiflora sanguinolenta, Pennisetum 'Sky Rocket', Persicaria amplexicaulis, platycerium, Prostranthera ovalifolia 'Variegata, Ruby Grass, Salvia canariensis var. candissima, staghorn fern, Teucrium hircanicum
13 Comments
the spell of the present
Though we may occasionally argue about what a garden is, I think we can all agree that what a garden does is cast a “spell of the present.” I loved this eminently quotable piece from Diane Ackerman a couple days … Continue reading
CSSA Plant Sale at the Huntington Botanical Gardens
The Cactus & Succulent Society of America’s plant sale at the Huntington June 29 through July 1, 2012, is one I hope not to miss this year. I’ve moved my little Agave parrasana ‘Fireball’ from last year’s plant sales into … Continue reading
the learning garden at Venice High School
I’m late posting about the Learning Garden, a garden stop on the May 2012 Venice Garden & Home Tour, and today the LG offers a class open to the public on vermiculture/composting, a deadline I had been hoping to beat. … Continue reading
glads
Gladioli love Southern California. My grandmother always grew lots of them to cut and take to church, which is possibly why most gladiolus hybrids will always have an air of the sanctimonious for me. I am the furthest thing from … Continue reading
Posted in Bulbs
Tagged Annie's Annuals & Perennials, gladilous, Gladiolus byzantinus, Gladiolus papilio, Old House Gardens
7 Comments
Occasional Daily Photo 6/5/12
The spent, dried, bleached-out bloom of Allium schubertii embellishing a mossed basket of succulents and bromeliads.* Might be a ho-hum occurrence for many gardeners, but I never thought I’d see the day I’d get this allium to bloom, much less … Continue reading
Posted in Bulbs, Occasional Daily Photo, pots and containers, succulents
Tagged Allium schubertii, Thunbergia alata
5 Comments