Wednesday, June 11, 2025

A quick trip to the beach and a walk through the Wonder Garden

I almost called this post "21 hours at the beach," because yes, that's how long I was there.

A plant talk at the Hoffman Center for the Arts in Manzanita was the reason for the trip, but time at the beach is always a good thing, so I took advantage and spent the night (2 hours drive time each way made it an easy choice).

A walk on the beach before my talk gave me time to check out the area's architecture.

It's always nice to see what the locals are building.

Since the Hoffman Wonder Garden (a small garden filled with plants that thrive in this location, a sort of demonstration garden) is right across the street from the Center for the Arts, there was time for a walk there too... 

On the left, Arctostaphylos auriculata 'Diablo's Blush'... 

Arctostaphylos 'John Dourley' 

Arctostaphylos silvicola 'Ghostly'

Arctostaphylos densiflora

A pulled back shot of the Arctostaphylos (manzanita) border and the Hoffman Center in the background.

That euphorbia is one I covet...

Is it E. stygiana or E. mellifera? I'm not sure anymore but since I love them both the coveting goes on.

The restio (Rhodocoma capensis) does well in this garden.

Diplarrena latifolia, a new to me plant that Ketzel (as in Ketzel Levine, former NPR correspondent and their "Doyenne of Dirt"—now the force behind the Wonder Garden) pointed out.

Those flowers are pretty sweet.
I look at this structure and think it's calling out for a vine, but then again with a vine you wouldn't be able to see it as well.

An eryngium with very thin leaves, perhaps E. paniculatum?

Another euphorbia, this one (with the orange blooms) I think is E. griffithii.

Acanthus sennii (so spiny!)

Yet another eryngium there on the lower left, maybe E. guatamalense?

Pretty fabulous, am I right?

This one is definitely Eryngium guatamalense.

One of mine is just starting to push out a bloom spike, I look forward to watching it grow.

I didn't get a chance to ask the origin story of this raised trough planter, it's all sorts of fabulous don't you think?.

Agave americana var. medio picta 'Alba' gets protected in the winter and planted back out again when things warm up and dry out.

There were folks relaxing here just moments before, it looks like a great place to kick-back and soak it all up.

Melianthus major (perhaps 'Purple Haze') and Dodonaea viscosa var. purpurea.

Leucadendron galpinii 'Silver Cone' and...

...Acacia pravissima show just how mild this area's climate is compared to mine here in Portland.

Close-up of the acacia's fabulous foliage.

There's a eucalyptus towering over a corner of the garden.

And I was thrilled to catch Fabiana imbricata 'Violacea' in bloom.

What a stunner!

Chondropetalum tectorum (Small Cape Rush)

Astelia chathamica 

Back-lit callistemon buds.

And my final Wonder Garden photo (succulents as summer annuals)...
...before returning to the hotel and a gorgeous sunset.

The moon!

The next day was misty moody.

But of course a beach-walk was in order before I left.





At first I thought this was a fish sticking out of the sand... (just a piece of wood).

Finally, I couldn't resist stopping to snap photos of a couple gardens I passed by on the 101 between Rockaway Beach (where I stayed) and Manzanita.

That's a wrap on this beach trip!

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16 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 11, 2025

    What a great trip, with beach time too. That trough planter was made by a volunteer. Mark got the bottom from the local water dept, when they replace them with plastic. (He got me one too when I begged!). The top Mark made from hypertufa. I'm so jealous of how that astelia performs at the WG, mine is kept in a pot and slow to leaf out after winter. Some nice plant treasures at the WG, and yet watering the other day a guy kept pestering me as to where the milkweed was. Not in bloom yet I told him, but look at all the insects on everything else. He wasn't interested!

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    1. Denise I assume? Thanks for the info on the trough planter, how are you using yours? (lucky!) How unfortunate that someone could look at all those fabulous plants (or not look at them) and want milkweed...

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  2. AnonymousJune 11, 2025

    The wonder Garden is appropriately named: it is indeed wonderful. Fabiana imbricata 'Violacea', like many of those types of heather, makes me intensely jealous.
    Excellent rusty structure and raised trough. Diplarrena latifolia new to me as well. Apparently not easy to find but I'll be looking for it anyway, the 'hunt' is as much fun as the discovery.
    The 'moody' beach made the drive so worth it. Costal gardening is a whole different game, isn't it... the last couple of photos are enchanting.
    Chavli

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    1. Fingers crossed you find that Diplarrena latifolia, even the foliage was nice. I would have preferred a sunny beach for my second walk but c'est la vie, at least I experienced all the different weather options!

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  3. Oh, gosh, now you have me hankering for the beach...perhaps a visit to Lake Michigan or a bigger body of water is in the cards. And thanks for sharing your tour of Hoffman Wonder Garden.

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    1. Do it! Looks like you had a grand time in Memphis, your smiling face showed up in a few photos I saw of the event.

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  4. I love reading about special gardens created by plant lovers, just because. I assume Manzanita is named thusly because of native manzanitas? Many of the species in your photos are from elsewhere.

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    1. Yes, that's correct--and I had to look it up to be sure! I drove around the area extensively the last time Andrew and I were out that way and saw a few "in the wild". I have no idea what species they are.

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  5. What a great visit, does Rockaway still have the quiet town feel or has it grown? Love that Fabiana imbricata.

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    1. Oh it's definitely still quite small, just a few businesses along the main road, but of course the beach is lined with houses/hotels.

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  6. I love the beach shots! You'd never see a beach that wide open without wall-to-wall people here. The Wonder Garden deserves its name too. I admire each and every plant there.

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    1. Well it was the Friday after memorial day weekend, so most everyone probably got their beach on the week before? Plus school was still in session and it was on the cool side. Andrew and I were out there in July a couple years back and it was packed!

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  7. The beach trip was wonderful for me, the desert dweller! But that Wonder Garden is a "danger garden" too. Quite a few prickly plants! I so enjoyed it all!

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    1. You're right, it's a danger wonder! I don't make it over to the beach more than once a year (if that), but I love knowing it's just a couple hours away if I need it.

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  8. What a gorgeous place to do a talk. Good decision to stay and enjoy. Most of those plants are new to me. The eryngium is a stunner.

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    1. I need to post a couple photos of my Eryngium guatemalense as I'm loving it (I have two). In fact I don't think I've ever met an eryngium that I don't love.

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