Finding this place was challenging, but once we did I was (of course) immediately drawn to the succulent plantings in the exterior courtyard. In fact when I took this photo (with my iPhone, because pulling out a point and shoot* in a space like this—especially when the 14 year old was toting a seriously large Cannon DSLR—just seemed a little, well, lame) I was looking at the plants in the distance, not the wall.
But the wall is what this post is about. The fake plastic covered wall and the ivy covered sandbags at its base.
What's up with that?
And then there is the fact someone thought wrapping the sandbags with fake ivy would be an improvement.
What Were They Thinking?
WWTT™
But enough of that disaster, how about those succulents?
Funny how it's the little Agave 'Blue Glow' that's sending up the bloom-spike.
*I reference my point and shoot, funny thing though—okay not so funny really—little did I know at the time, but just days later my trusty camera would up and die. Dead. I loved that camera. It's been reliable for years. I even took photos for my book with it. Yes really. But now I must go camera shopping. I won't be going with a big fancy DSLR, I just have no desire to pack around something that large. I may go with a mirrorless (I threatened to do this awhile back, but just never got around to it) or perhaps just an upgrade to the Sony Cyber-Shot. If you've got any advice or experience along these lines I'd love to hear it.
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Weather Diary, Jan 5: Hi 49, Low 42/ Precip .25
All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
The sandbags are unsightly but the wall... I wouldn't know it was fake if you didn't say, and I suppose it saves money on hedge manicure. The succulents are so lovely maybe they hoped you wouldn't notice the wall cover.
ReplyDeleteI carried a small camera with me for years. A point and shoot Panasonic LUMIX with LEICA lens. My nephew told me I wouldn't need it if only I bought a smartphone. I laughed, but he was right. My first (ever) little smartphone, iPhone SE, takes pictures as good or better then my camera. I haven't used it for over year. If you want it, I'll be happy to sent it to you.
This is an incredibly generous offer! I hesitate to take you up on it simply because it is so generous, and what if you later decide you want to use the camera? (perhaps a vacation) However if you are sure then I would love to. Only if you let me pay for shipping. You can email me at (all one word and with appropriate symbols) spiky plants at gmail dot com.
DeleteLove the succulents, the wall not so much. I've seen those fake-shrubbery wall covers before and never understood why anyone, much less a well-endowed public facility, would use them. As to the camera, I've had a Canon PowerShot for years and still use it when I travel. I asked for an upgraded version 2 years ago for my b-day and instead of that my husband got me a DLSR, which I use only for photos of my own garden as I also think it's too clunky to carry on garden tours.
ReplyDeleteThat's just it! The clunky factor. I firmly believe in the saying "the best camera is the one you have with you". These days that's probably a phone camera for most people, but my point and shoot was always in my bag, which came in quite handy.
DeleteDon't you think the sandbags and fake plastic wall are just part of the exhibit? Doesn't really look like the sandbags are actually being used to hold the wall up. I'm assuming it's to show the juxtaposition of beauty/natural and unsightly/artificial?
ReplyDeleteI assumed the sandbags were because of the large amount of rain the area had received. There were many cases of flooding around town. The wall, yes, totally part of the exhibit, the sandbags an afterthought.
DeleteClever use of colour in the cultivars of agave, sedum and echeveria chosen. Very striking. Sorry about the loss of your camera. Hopefully you can replace it with something equally fun to work with.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many camera options!
DeleteDefinitely go mirrorless.
ReplyDeleteAll those 'Blue Glow' will bloom soon, and that will be a replant project for someone!
Agree, the plastic is totally tacky, so wonder if the plastic is temporary, because there is something underneath that is functional (lighting, ventilation for below ground structure) that they need access to (might also explain the sandbags); they might have tried a "vertical garden" and it fried in the summer heat, etc.
Phone camera or not, good pictures!
The display is part of the "walls" exhibit and definitely temporary. But it could have been done so much better!
DeleteThe wall and sandbags are definitely weird. Love the Agaves, though. are those 'Gold Nugget' Semps next to them in your last photo?
ReplyDeleteGood eye! But I think they're some sort of echeveria, sempervivum aren't really cut out for life in SoCal.
DeleteDear lord, that's a serious disaster. The agaves do make up for the fake foliage, but this is still a big missed opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThat's it exactly, a BIG missed opportunity.
DeleteGarden of contrasts, ha! Love the sweep of succulents with mulch and stone for texture. Even the lines of the building in the background add to the scene.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same about the background building, great minds!
DeleteSo strange to have beautiful plantings and that insanity in the same — esp. as I would remember the crazy part and not the beautiful part!
ReplyDeleteAnd you had to actually walk around the crazy part to get to the beautiful part!
DeleteIrony? If it's a temporary exhibit, it would be tough to get something grown as a 'living' wall on a timetable. So maybe a dead wall was the intent? The disguised sandbags suggest something... borderish? Definitely thought-provoking.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...borderish. Good word, interesting take.
Delete