Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Touring Horticultural Heaven


Yesterday we returned from 5-days in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area where I took part in the 2013 Garden Bloggers Fling. I had a grand plan to post a “best of” photo collection today with highlights from each place we visited (with detailed posts later on), but that isn’t going happen.
Agave franzosinii at Ruth Bancroft Garden

The time I had set-aside yesterday to edit photos was instead spent watering my garden, it’s been freakishly hot here in Portland.
Agave parryi var. huachucensis at Filoli Garden

When I did finally get around to downloading the 2,500+ photos on my camera there was an error message, and the camera and laptop refused to communicate. After a few moments of sheer panic I figured out a work around and got the photos, but after that I just didn’t have the time or inclination to work very hard. I just grabbed a few teaser photos for this post.
Leucadendron argenteum at Strybing Arboretum

While the gardens were magnificent (thank you SF Fling planning crew!) and have left me with a serious case of succulent envy (as well as a major feeling of personal garden inadequacy…am I the only one who came home and felt a letdown seeing their own garden?) it was the people who really made the experience extraordinary. I finally met folks I’ve corresponded with for years and renewed friendships from the Seattle Fling two years ago. What an experience, I’m still on a bit of a high from it all.
The Conservatory of Flowers

Speaking of people, gardening people, I want to extend a huge public thank you to my plantlust.com co-hort Patricia, while I was away playing she was here watering my garden. It’s true the majority of my plants love the heat, but I’ve planted so many new things this year I’m sure most of them would have just given up when last Saturday hit 97 degrees. Thank you Patricia!
Leucadendron at the Wave Garden

Finally, in case you haven’t heard next year’s Garden Bloggers Fling is right here in Portland I hope to see many of you here in my “home town.” We won’t have blooming car-sized Agave franzosinii or 8 ft tall Banksia serrata but I bet it will still be a good time…
Banksia serrata at Testa-Vought Garden

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

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