Succulents and More™

Last week, I had the opportunity to revisit a very special succulent garden in Sacramento, created and loved by Fred and Paul. Almost a year and half had gone by since my first visit , and I was eager to see their garden again. My friend Michele was my companion on this outing. Fred and Paul live in a mid-century modern house built in 1959. When they bought it almost 15 years ago, there was lawn everywhere: in the front, along the side, and in the back. Here’s what it looked like in 2011: Google Street View photo from 2011 The landscaping in the front is fairly minimalistic, dominated by concrete paths, steps, and planters with straight lines and right angles. The design reminded me of Palm Springs – and that was before I found out that Fred and Paul used to own a house in Palm Springs! Notice the tall multi-branched Euphorbia ammak with its startling yellow coloration above? It’s the signature plant of Fred and Paul’s garden. You’ll see more of it in the back. Variegated Euphorbia a...

On my April trip to Portland , one of the destinations I was most looking forward to was Bella Madrona. I’d been there once before, during the 2014 Garden Bloggers Fling , and had fond, if hazy, memories. For some reason, I never finished my post that I started 12 years ago, but here is a good one about Bella Madrona and the Fling written by Pam Penick on her blog Digging . Bella Madrona defies description. There are trees and shrubs and flowers, art pieces and found objects, a stream and a bog, several meadows, and even a secret forest inhabited by gnomes. As I was reading up on what others have written about it, I came across a term that captures its essence perfectly: pleasure garden. It makes me think of something grander, something that goes beyond plants; a space designed to bemuse, entertain, and thrill. When you look at the photos below, you’ll see what Bella Madrona is: lush, eclectic, playful, romantic, serene, mystical. I’d even call it whimsical if the w word wasn’t so wor...