Blue Fox Garden: We revisit an extraordinary garden, chapter 1…

I originally shared photos of this garden in October of 2011 (day 1, day 2); however with the harsh shadows of the early morning hour those images were of less than stellar quality. As luck would have it (and I am a very lucky girl) I was invited to return in October of 2012 to see how the garden has progressed and of course take a few photos. We’ll start the visit today in the front garden, then tomorrow progress to the back. Today’s relatively light photo load (30) should be considered the hearty appetizer to tomorrows salad, main course and desert (70 images) you might want to set aside an hour to take it all in. There is a lot to see, you've been warned…

In the photo above we're looking at the house from the street entry, below we've turned to look to the left...

And to the right...

A slightly different angle, also to the right...

Now we've walked along the "outside" of the front right-side fence, reaching the corner and looking back at the house.

You know how blue Christmas lights are kind of hard to look directly at? It was the same way with this Eucalyptus, it was so powder blue that it appeared to glow from within.

My apologies to both you, the reader, and the garden owner, John. Enough time has elapsed since my visit that I've forgotten the name of many of the plants, if there are any you simply must know ask in the comments and I'll try and find out for you. The silver undersides of the leaves on this one were beautiful. (Update...it's a Drymis winteri)

Now we've walked back along the fence and are at the opposite corner looking towards the front garden, standing at the end of the driveway.

Also along the driveway was a late blooming (spectacularly colored) passion flower.

Throughout the garden are several of these tall bent re-bar supports for climbing plants, I appreciate their simplicity.

Eryngium, not sure which one...

And now we'll finally enter the garden (from the driveway) the Nolina 'La Siberica' are substantially larger than last year (at least to my memory)...

On my previous visit to this garden the plant on the left caught my eye and I became mildly obsessed.

I believe it is Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Ruffles'...why don't I have one yet? We because it should eventually reach 12 ft tall.

More Nolina.

Turning back to the corner by the driveway.

Since it was mid October when I visited no doubt this Aloe striatula has bloomed by now.

And the opposite corner where you can see a bit of the blue Eucalyptus, a pair of tall Yucca rostrata, Opuntia, Agave, and sinewy gorgeous Manzanita. If this scene reminds you of Cistus nursery that's probably because Mr Hogan was behind the design of the garden.