After visiting
Rolling Greens and
The Tropics, Inc, I headed to the (not so) new LA location of the San Francisco giant,
Flora Grubb Gardens. This was my final stop during our mid-November trip.
I'll be honest, my expectations were low. The buzz I'd heard about this location wasn't all that positive. I think someone had also told me getting there wasn't easy. They were right. Left turn against traffic, another immediate turn that wasn't obvious, aye yi yi! I could see it, but how to get to it!? Thankfully I finally made the right combination of turns.
In addition to the traffic and street issues, the location also had a few interesting deep drainage ditches that broke up the flow. You can see one of them above, here's another. Lots of ice plant...
Odd location (and extreme wind that day) aside, I thought this location was (almost) as magical as the original. I mean let's face it, our standards are much higher now than when the original Flora Grubb opened in SF back in 2007.
There were many plants I would have loved to have taken home with me. Agave victoriae-reginae...
Agave 'Blue Glow'
Leucospermum gueinzii
Leucospermum 'Veldfire'
Leucadendron salignum 'Winter Red'
Labeled as purslane tricolor jewel...
Jelly beans!
Over on Instagram I raved about the way
Dustin Gimbel's totems made the space and I will do so here too. They were fantastic.
Agave xylonocantha 'Swordfish'
Blue, powdery blue.
There were several gorgeous Cyathea cooperi in the mix of shade plants.
Tetrapanax! $79 for a 3 gal pot.
Lots of beautiful bromeliads, I really wanted to take a couple home, but didn't want to pay to check a bag, so they stayed.
This was interesting to see, after drooling over the many
Deuterocohnia brevifolia at The Tropics, Inc. This little planting in a rock pot was selling for $149.
Euphorbia evansii (only $12.99)
Mammillaria spinosissima
Cleistocactus colademononis
Inside the small building that fronted the space I spotted these ceramic containers from
Michelle Derviss.
If this one had been green or brown it would have been very hard to leave it behind...
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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Yes, navigating that entrance can be dicey - I'm lucky I can take a coastal route that allows me to make easy right turns. The freeway is admittedly quicker but not as nice. Also, after years of visiting the former Marina Del Rey Garden Center that Flora Grubb took over (and 2+ years working at the hospital across the street when it was run by an order of nuns), I'm used to getting there with a minimum of hassles. The prices aren't cheap but the plants are pristine and there's always something "different" to drool over. I've been wondering is Michelle Derviss' creation could be found locally so thanks for that notice. I'll plan a visit in January!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I finally got in, with a right turn. I look forward to your visit! (assuming you'll write about it)
DeleteWow, Just How could You go to a Place like that and Not take Something Home! Always find Room for One More!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I did leave with a small container and an even smaller agave, but I could have bought so much more.
DeleteWell, I certainly think that nursery would have been worth a visit on my part. It definitely is not underwhelming. They've either improved a lot, or somewhere there is an extraordinarily much better nursery in the region that puts Flora to shame. Sort of hard to believe Tetrapanax isn't much, much cheaper. Several plant people have tried to foist them off on me now for free. There must still be a market!
ReplyDeleteYa, I was shocked at the price of the Tetrapanax. Just wait until they get a foothold there, people will be giving them away.
DeleteI'm impressed, I'll admit not having visited Flora in SF. I dread the drive, and I heard the prices were ridic. And $149 for the Deuteronomy confirms that. I should give it a go, for a fun look around at least. I loved your enthusiasm over the jelly beans, I love those little nubbins.
ReplyDeleteOh really, not all the prices are high, there were a lot of very reasonable ones. You should go! I wish the jelly beans were hard here.
DeleteOh fun! Thanks for taking us along on the tour. The plant selection is amazing. And those colorful chairs lined up on the wall are fun, too. Happy Holidays, Loree!
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful place!
DeleteAn unfurling fiddle head of a giant tree fern always make me want to reach out and pet it. The hairs make it look like a cute living creature. Speaking of hair, the cheery bloom of Cleistocactus colademononis growing straight out of that hairy arm... gorgeous, but evokes no desire to pet it.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Derviss' ceramics, somewhere between seed pods to a beetles... fantastic.
Chavli
should be "to pat it"... lol.
DeleteOh but pet works too! Yes Michelle is making some wonderful artwork. Someday I'll get a piece.
DeleteI'd love to visit, and so I read your post eagerly. Not disappointed either! The plants are fab, but I'd have been drooling most over Dustin's totems and Michelle's wall vases.
ReplyDelete