I took precious few photos over the long weekend I spent in the Bay area.
And not because there wasn’t the usual excess of riches to see and do.
There were acacias in bloom, these cutleaf acacias seen at Flora Grubb Gardens.
The UCBG symposium “Natural Discourse” on Friday had the unintended effect of decoupling the camera journaling habit I’ve acquired. I managed only a single photo at UCBG, of these cat tail aloes, Aloe castanea, as we were leaving.
It was a heady day. I admit to sometimes wondering if an obsession with gardens and plants might be too narrow a path upon which to fully explore and engage the world. Now I wish every spring could begin with a symposium like this, not the how-to’s but the whys and wherefores of the ongoing discourse among people, plants, and site that is a garden. Poets, artists, and scientists have quite a lot to say on the matter, and thanks to UCBG and curators Shirley Watts and Mary Anne Friel for giving them this opportunity to let us know what’s on their minds. I have no doubt that it will be a very exciting year at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden as this discourse continues.
How jealous am I that you were able to attend that symposium! (almost as jealous as I am that people in California can grow aloes in their gardens).
Last Thur/Fri as I wandered through the NWFG Show I had thoughts along the same line as you “sometimes wondering if an obsession with gardens and plants might be too narrow a path upon which to fully explore and engage the world”…I haven’t yet found my answer.
Oh no Denise, that plant obsession path is wide with many other disciplines in its orbit -gardens are design,art,literature,science,travel,wildlife (some more welcome than others) and people we would other wise have never known. Life is richer with at least one thing that is not done in moderation.
I believe I have a photo of that very same Aloe !
Loree, with the shows starting in the PNW, the jealousy is mutual! I’m hoping to get more on the lectures up later in the week.
Kathy, I agree, and what the UCBG is doing really enlarges that little patch of garden outside the kitchen. Onward immoderates!
I find my garden obsession is expanding my world. I am learning about native flora in far-flung regions, and the wildlife that relies on them. I’m even more inclined to travel in order to see more gardens (and national parks). And the obsession leads to real connections with people all over the place that I’d otherwise never have met.
Pam, I think so too. I guess it’s just a matter of finding new inspiration.