Friday, May 3, 2019

A second opportunity to enjoy the color artistry of Keeyla Meadows

I first visited the garden of artist Keeyla Meadows during the 2013 Bay Area Garden Bloggers Fling (and wrote about it here).

A friend warned me the garden wasn't likely to be my "thing," since she knew I wasn't a big fan of art in the garden. But she was wrong. I loved how personal the space was, everywhere I turned there was something original and colorful. And of course there were fabulous plants, like this Yucca desmetiana 'Blue Boy' (syn. Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea') currently in the hellstrip.

That first visit was in July and the exuberant plantings tamed the art a little bit. My most recent visit was last December. With many of the plants gone dormant for the season, or maybe just bloomed out, the art was front and center everywhere you looked.

The lower angle of the sun made capturing parts of the garden difficult, but I still shot over a hundred images. Don't worry, I greatly pared them down for this post.

That Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' was huge.

If you click back to my 2013 post (here) it was in the same spot, only much smaller. I assumed it was the same plant, but I really should have asked.

Some type of kalanchoe, I think. Cotyledon orbiculata, thanks Anon!

Looking back toward Keeyla's house, and that epic banana.

Notice the outdoor shower on the right.

I have a couple of dried brugmansia blossoms hanging above my desk, these felt very similar, but of course can stand up to the elements.

Abutilon 'Red Tiger'

Lupinus albifrons

I'm sure Keeyla arranged the carpet of ginkgo leaves just for our visit.

Did you spot the daffodils (above, and below)? Do you remember my saying I was there in December? Ya, I don't know what's up with that.

The kniphofia were a nice color match as well.

And this! (whose name I just can't remember...) Cobaea scandens...thanks Alison and KS!

Last time I was here we walked through the studio at the back of the property.

But it wasn't a pass-through space this time so we turned around and retraced our steps.

Papyrus! In December...

Isn't Keeyla's garden magical?

And that banana! Of course in December, when I was here, my red banana at home was still looking great—that was before our "winter-in-February." I had dreams of a plant, if not this size, at least half as huge. Sadly that wasn't to be the case.

Weather Diary, May 2: Hi 66, Low 46/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

22 comments:

  1. I remember being staggered by how wonderful Keeyla's garden was. How cool that you got to see it again in a different season. I'm sure someone else will mention it, but I think the blue flower is Cobaea scandens.

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    1. Thanks for the ID, and yes...no matter the season this garden delivers lots of inspiration!

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  2. What a treat to see this garden a second time in a different season. I also love this garden - Oh those bay area gardeners are so lucky, they can grow just about anything.

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    1. And leave it in place for the winter!

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  3. A garden for the inner child to run wild. ;)

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  4. Probably the same banana; tropical plants can do a lot of growing in five years if not checked by a freeze.

    Love the red doors and their many excellent color echoes. And the wonderful color echoes throughout. Smitten by most of the fabulous paving tiles. Daffs in December! You just have to laugh weakly. Actually, Kniphofias in December are almost as implausible, though I've seen pics of some super late blooming species in full cry in November not too far away (Mendocino).

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    1. Just walking through her garden is a master class in color.

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  5. AnonymousMay 03, 2019

    The blooming plant you mention might be a Kalanchoe is Cotyledon orbiculatus.

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  6. AnonymousMay 03, 2019

    It would seem impossible not to be charmed by this garden regardless of your aesthetic.
    rickii

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  7. I loved that garden, too. The color and art are so well done, let alone the great plants. Coincidentally I just used a 2013 photo I took in Keela Meadows' garden to illustrate an article I wrote for the HPSO's quarterly.

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  8. Although very different in many respects, the gardens of Keeyla Meadows and Lucinda Hutson inspire a similar reaction in me - they're both joyful, exuberant and very, very colorful. I love Keeylas's tiled bench and its coordinating patio surround, neither of which I remembered seeing in other coverage of her garden (although I do see that your 2013 post gave us a peek of it).

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    1. Excellent comparison Kris. They're both very personal gardens that really reflect their creators.

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  9. Alison is right, Cobaea scandens it is. I try to visit Keeylas garden every couple of years, she is usually on GC Open Days. Daffs and Narcissus bloom quite early here in Napa as well, but not usually til late Jan.

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    1. I just got an email this morning mentioning her upcoming open. I'll forward it to you in case you didn't get it.

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  10. Much different in December than in June or July. More about the art, and the shade.

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  11. Not everyone can pull off more is more, but I love the visual insatiability of Keeyla. (Marty's computer is allowing me to comment...)

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  12. I loved Keeyla's garden. Even the Ginkgo leaves complement the colors in the garden. I agree with Kris - her garden, while different, has the same whimsy as Lucinda's.

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  13. God, I loved this garden. Thanks for giving me a chance to revisit.

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