California dreamin'.....

Dudleya cymosa

This time of year a lot of Coloradoans (and people from other frosty climates) start dreaming about warmer, greener places. The #1 destination for me has been California since I was in single digits. My brother moved to the Bay area in 1957, and my two sisters followed to go to Berkeley--my mother and I would take the bus out to visit during Spring breaks throughout my childhood and later we'd fly every year--a habit that's only gotten worse. I suspect I've made of 100 trips to California in my life--often visiting twice or thrice a year! Oh the Dudleya! That is a story I told in the NARGS Quarterly...I shall follow up with a link, check back!
 

Tree fern frond

We won't see fern fronds for many months (let alone tree fern fronds) but I took this picture mid-"winter" in California!

Lewisia cotyledon 

I recall when Lewisia cotyledon was thought of as a difficult plant: I've seen it sold in grocery stores on occasion nowadays--one of many predominately California taxa (although this is found in the Siskiyous of Oregon as well, of course) that grace our gardens.

University of California, Berkeley botanic garden 

The first botanic garden I ever visited was the gem in Strawberry Canyon, still one of the finest gardens in the world. This will be part of this year's NARGS Study weekend in March!

Cupressus sargentii on Mount Tamalpais

And one of my favorite hikes will always be Mount Tamalpais, where gnarly forests of Cupressus sargentii are found on the Serpentine rock.

 

Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)

Nothing says Christmas to me better than Toyon: this is the "Holly and the Ivy" of the chaparral!

Woodwardia fimbriata

I've dreamed one day we'd find a form of this growing high enough to be hardy on our cold, windy steppe--the sort of dream that keeps us motvated.

Sisyrinchium bellum

The blue eyed grasses bloom months earlier in California than in the Rockies. I love the satiny flowers on this one!

Iris macrosiphon

California boasts a wealth of native iris--in fact a whole section of the genus is named in honor of the state ("Californicae"). I've seen them in bloom from mid-winter to summer! But not in the fall yet...

Sculpted foot 

The range of gardens is astonishing: this gem in Berkeley will be on tour for the conference...

Flora Grubb

There are no end of elegant garden centers--This one with so memorable a name was especially elegant!

Anemone coronaria

One of the offerings at Flora Grubb's: beautifully grown--I'll have three thank you!

Eriogonum sp.

A native California buckwheat on display at Annie's Annuals--the most amazing garden center where you have no clue what might be offered!

Pentagramma triangularis

And of course "Goldback ferns": rather silvery backed in this case--a California specialty. I remember an episode on Bonanza when Hoss was explaining these to a love interest--an episode I saw over half a century ago and still remember. I doubt there were any goldback ferns on the Ponderosa which would have been in Nevada--the writers took a little poetic license.

Conference link

 Click on the blue link below this picture to read more about the extraordinary weekend that will take place in exactly two months. Only 100 very lucky people will be able to be hosted at 4 world class public gardens, listen to leading authorities on South African, Patagonian an California plants and be wafted to spectacular private gardens and nature. Don't miss it: it's MORE than worth the price!