A connoisseur's garden

Pretty high up on the Berkeley Hills in Piedmont there is a home and garden that have dazzled me on each of several visits. I have posted about the Kaplan/Billings garden before--in early Summer when it was altogether different. These pictures, taken in late March, show an entirely different suite of plants and views--and whole new gardens to boot! What I find so astonishing about this garden is that most of the maintenance is performed by the owners. The scale, variety and beauty contained herein is off the charts.

One of the new gardens that appeared magically since my last visit!

The sculptural form of plants, rocks contrast so well with the formal setting: the backlighting captures the magic, don't you think?

I was proud of my Abies koreana 'Kohout's Icebreaker" which is half the size of this one...

Marcia Donahue is a good friend of the family: her artwork graces many a corner of the garden.

I am rather proud of this picture of Jon (Kaplan): I think it conveys many facets of the Mensch. 

There is something about how the rectilinear hedges and formal overall layout contrast so well with the wildness inside each bed--it dawned on me that Denver Botanic Gardens has a similar artistic tension...

This may be Jovellana sinclairi rather than the commoner violacea. You are always apt to find the less common forms of taxa here. Hence the sobriquet "connoisseur".

Another wonderful bed of succulents...

I am so used to seeing Succulent gardens in arid regions--to see them neatly framed with turf gives a bit of a thrill!

An agave already imn bloom--we'll see it up close in a bit. Forgot to note the name...

Aloe polyphylla--so well esconced in the Bay area.  Notice the purple Babiana behind...aaahhh--the climate of the Bay area is truly sublime!

Looking up a bit higher--a perfect Pelargonium and Aloe and on and on...

The closeup of Agave flowers I promised you earlier...

Just one wonderful form next to another, each with different texture and color...

Remember the new succulent bed I photographed in backlight? Looks mighty good in full light as well!

My excuse (as if I needed one) to visit was to see Jon's new crevice garden--engineered by Walker Young (who did the heavy lifting) and Kiamara Ludwig (the Muse). Kiamara has been my Bay area mguide for quite a few years now--she has had an enormous impact on young horticulturists in that blessed spot of America--and is the ultimate enabler of good gardening!

Would we could tuck Echeveria, Graptopetalums and Dudleya willy nilly in OUR crevice gardens!

I have never seen a Gasteria quite like this. Notice the Myriopteris tucked here and there--Kiamara's touch!

And Haworthia galore. I'll be lucky to find two or three steppe-tolerant taxa one day.

I think Kathy Allen would be thrilled to see Naussavia glomerata in this garden where I have a hunch it will flourish. 

The Muse herself: Kiamara kicks ass!

I believe this is a Marcia Donahue ceramic mushroom. How many gardens of this size and scope contain so many little gems scattered about?

I suspect this is Aquilegia bertollonii--one of the gems of the genus.

Delosperma echinatum ("Pickle plant")

Garden art is present, but never obtrusive. I was charmed by this longhair cat.

John has a small industry devoted to propagating Oxalis palmifrons--the aristocrat of that genus and a plant I dote over. When I pitifully asked if I could buy one of two, he pressed a small fortune of its bulbs on me. I overwintered two plants last year--and now I can try it in more spots in my garden. I love this plant!

And now a NEW view of the new succulent garden looking West--different again from the two other views...

Jon told me the name of this gigantic Allium which towers nearly 5' and says it's Fergus Garrett's favorite. Now it's MY favorite...MUST GET THIS!

Illicium floridanum

A treat to see this Southeastern native happily growing on the left coast.

Closeup of Illicium floridanum 

Bartlettina sordida

A cloud forest denizen of Mexico growing not far from the xeric gems of the desert beds...

Telanthophora grandifolia

Growing not far from it's fellow Central American Asteraceae...Wonderful form and shapes matter as much as flowers here. 

And of course Clivia in a variety of colors and forms...

We are now entering the Woodland garden with a wealth of tree ferns under the giant Sequoia. We're not in Kansas any more!

Asplenium scolopendrium is found here and there in many forms...

Oh, to have a property with a sizeable grove of Sequoia to grow my woodlanders!

I'd love to grow my Chinese Podophyllums under tree ferns. I'd love to grow either one for that matter!

Yet another Asplenium scolopendrium form...

I am never going to finish this blog post if I try to label everthing: this is a variegated Tricyrtis... next is one of numerous Arisaema. You're on your own for a while: the garden goes on and one--treasures wherever you look!

Rosa 'Geranium'
Had to label this one: what a color!

 I end with these wonderfully grown pitcher plants. I salute you, Jon and Julie. Thank you for letting me visit again (and again!) Thank you also for sharing your garden with so many at other times as well.