Tuesday, October 11, 2016

A quick visit to Gerhard's (Succulents and More) Garden...

My visit to the Ruth Bancroft Garden in August included a night spent with Gerhard and family in Davis, CA. Luckily there was enough time in our whirlwind adventure for a quick daylight tour of his garden. Back when I first visited (in 2014) this was all lawn...

While I followed along with the transition on Gerhard's blog (Succulents and More) it was an entirely different reality to see it in person. It is just splendid, such an improvement!

The overall design was simple and elegant and each individual plant begged for a close up. Agave bovicornuta...

Looking back towards the front of the house.

Agave vilmoriniana 'Stained Glass' in the spotlight atop the second mound.

Such elegant arms...

Is it wrong to like the buds better than the flowers on this blooming barrel cactus?

Agave pumila

The view from the front porch...

Aloe × spinosissima as we walk back towards the driveway...

 For a look at the front and side plantings on the other side of the fence. In the "public" realm...

Such happy healthy bamboo!

Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’

For me this is a signature image of Gerhard's garden; the pots along the top of the fence. I've yet to try this in my garden since the squirrels use our fence as their own super highway.

Agave weberi ‘Arizona Star’

Aloe elgonica

Russelia equisetiformis

Under a beautiful Palo Verde.

That's a lot of Echium wildpretii!

And a thick clump of Agave macroacantha.

Manihot grahamii (peaking over — way over — the fence)...

Aloe ferox

A mash-up of fabulousness! Aloe ‘Moonglow’, Yucca rostrata, Agave americana ‘Medio-picta Alba...

Agave macroacantha absolutely glowing from within, backed by Aloidendron ‘Hercules’...

Almost missed the Agave ovatifolia (far right), can't do that!

Aloe capitata var. quartziticola...a plant I wanted SO BAD and then finally got one of my very own thanks to Denise. It went through an ugly phase when I thought I was going to lose it but it's bounced back now and looks almost this good.

Aloe ‘Erik the Red'

This little Yucca came from Portland (Cistus Nursery)! Yucca baccata var. vespertina 'Hualapai Blue'.

An arching ‘Sonoran Emerald’ palo verde frames those plants we just admired.

I feel so lucky to have visited this garden twice now, hopefully when I return next time I'll get to see the back garden too! (I needed quickly pack up my plants for the trip home, so it didn't even occur to me at the time that we skipped the back). If you want to see more Gerhard just did a couple of in-depth posts with much better photos: here and here. Thanks again for the hospitality Gerhard, hope to see you up here in the spring! (HPSO Spring sale is April 15th and 16th!)...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

33 comments:

  1. I wish you could have stayed longer. It was a crazy whirlwind trip!

    Thank you for all the nice words. I just wish the light had been less contrasty, but that's summer in California for you :-).

    BTW, I've decided to dig up that clump of Echium wildpretii. They're way too close to the fence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya the light wasn't doing my photos any favors...but I am not one to complain about a sunny day! Did you save any of the Echium? They're tough buggers...

      Delete
  2. It's looking really beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pictures, and I bet you guys had fun talking plants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed...almost as much fun as shopping for plants.

      Delete
  3. This garden is as wonderful as it's gardener. What a treat for you to see both in person! Thanks for sharing so many drool-worthy plants. We could use some of that California warmth about now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually I'm fine with our weather right now, but if they could cancel the storm that's headed are way and replace it with this I would be thrilled.

      Delete
  4. Wow! Again, this is so nice that there are interesting views for the public to enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true...I bet he's inspired a lot of other people to do similar.

      Delete
  5. Oh My! I don't blame you for coveting that Aloe capitata var. quartziticola! What a cool-looking plant. What a special treat it must have been to stay with Gerhard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The family was so welcoming, and it's not like they didn't have their own things going on -- they were leaving the next day to escort Laura (the oldest daughter) to college in Vancouver, BC.

      Delete
  6. Fabulous, Gerhard.
    Thanks for sharing your visit, Loree.
    All those plants in the ground all year? Just kills me! Looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  7. All the words have been used, wow, oh my. Like you Ive followed the development of the garden but not sure if it is just that they have really settled in now, or maybe you selected different plants but what an amazing collection! Where to start my wish list: Agave vilmoriniana 'Stained Glass', aloe herculese, not to mention Aloe capitata var. quartziticola.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Is always a treat to visit Gerhard beautiful garden. I live so close I should check out what is new. I don't think I've been since he yanked out the lawn. I have been pretty busy lately at Sweetstuffs. No excuses! Lol

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such beautiful specimens! I love that Aloe capitata var. quartziticola, which I somehow missed in Gerhard's posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you need one of those Aloes Kris!

      Delete
  10. Gerhard, your gardens are magnificent. I'm in awe.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's interesting how different my climate is to Gerhards even though I am just an hour west.That Manihot action would never happen here; the central valleys' hotter days gives them warmer nights. I really enjoyed my visit to Gerhards this summer- what a great collection he has !

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, Russelia equisetiformis, would that you were mine...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw some amazing specimens in Phoenix last week...

      Delete
  13. Great garden--always fun to see it through another pair of eyes.

    The quartzicola version of A. capitata is a touchy one. I like the stripey buds better than the Ferocactus flowers as well--though the flowers are cool, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you loved and lost that Aloe Hoover? Sounds like your speaking from experience.

      Delete
  14. Gerhard's garden is so spectacular! We got to see it in July and I'm amazed how well it filled out in a month. Thanks for your great photos, Loree!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love Gerhard's blog Succulents and More and watching his garden evolve. You both have such diversity in your gardens and grow so many plants I just dream about.I great photo tour!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Two binging plantaholics...that's my kind of orgy.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looking for some tips on the reproduction of the aloidendron Hercules I have 5 different verietties. My prize wold be a red one that is 6' tall I'm not sure as to how to reproduce. seeds don't seam to do it for me. ???

    ReplyDelete
  18. I know this is an older post, but that Aloe "elgonica" is actually striata x maculata, when I bought mine (from either lowes or HD) it was mislabeled elgonica too

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!