As our group was wrapping up the visit at Ann Nichols' and getting ready to head to Marcia Donahue's, there was talk of a drive-by garden we needed to stop and see en route—a garden belonging to someone named Kipp. I love everything about this moment. Here we are in a serious power-house garden of renowned and about to head to the garden of an area icon, but wait, "you guys really need to see this garden too!" And they were right...
All we saw was the front garden, what you could see from the sidewalk, but man... this is an entirely different level of cramscaping with a color-coordinated house too, wow!
There was not an inch of plantable space that wasn't filled with a plant (or a rock), it was amazing!
Even the narrow strip between the sidewalk and the driveway was planted. And not just with small plants.
Ditto for the narrow side yard between the driveway and the neighbor's place.
Looking closer at the plants in that narrow strip of land...I love the striped aloe and that stapelia! I bet it throws out a lot of blooms in season.
A nice tight patch of Deuterocohnia brevifolia at the base of the tree.
And then there's this! Euphorbia ammak...
More tiny treasures.
Agave 'Kissho Kan' (that name might not be right)?
So good!!!
In front of the neighbor's fence, maybe Kipp's work too?
Looking back towards Kipp's, that's David, Max, and Gerhard.
I did a little Google Maps sleuthing and I can tell you the house and stairs haven't always been this color. This scheme so perfectly pops with the plants.
Oh hey, there's a ginormous cycad in there!
And a big Yucca rostrata too, if I tried to ID the chartreuse pencil-thin plant I'd just be guessing.
Fiery little bromeliads.
And all of this is just right there, smashed up against a busy street.
Agave albopilosa
Another nice chunk of Deuterocohnia brevifolia.
Also via Google Maps I saw a previous fence, wooden, wide slats. This cable version is much better for viewing the plants.
Wow, that was fun!
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That is pretty darn amazing! It looks well maintained too, which, based on my own experience working in a less crowded garden, is difficult when the gardener is at risk of being stabbed right and left. Maybe weeds don't dare to germinate in a garden that intensely planted. I was hoping Kip would poke his/her head out the front door before you wrapped up your post.
ReplyDeleteSomebody said Kip wasn't home when we stopped by.
DeleteI too was asking myself how he got in there to maintain the plants, maybe he has tools with long handles?
DeleteYou got so many great shots! My photos didn't turn out well. I hope to go back. I've met Kip a few times and maybe I can wrangle an invite...
ReplyDeleteAh, I didn't realize you'd met him (or I forgot). I look forward to a potential follow up.
DeleteI love it, this is just so dang joyful. Walking around Berkeley is always a kick in the pants, the gardens are so eclectic - and you can grow anything. Absolute dream!
ReplyDeleteIndeed I remember a shot walk I did from the train station to the Pacific Horticulture offices, I must have taken two dozen photos.
DeleteWow, what a front garden, chock full of all the spiky plants you love. Fun choice for house colors. Is there a back garden too?
ReplyDeleteChavli
A look at Google maps confirms there is, but since Kip wasn't home we didn't go exploring beyond the streetside.
DeleteThat is a fabulous garden, and I love the house, too.
ReplyDeleteWow what a great garden. So inspirational telling me that I can get even more into my garden.
ReplyDeleteNoticed the 2 Agave ‘snow glows’ by the front door. I have a Euphorbia lactea Cristata in front that was rotting and was removed. (Hopefully I’ll be able to root some cuttings.). One of the replacement options was ‘Snow Glow’, but I was worried it would get too big and I need to try something else. Now I’m rethinking it.
My jaw is dropped looking at these photos for so many reasons. The owner must be a very agile artist with an eye for texture, color, shape and beauty. I've
ReplyDeleteworked in my own rock gardens for the last 20 years and these are the most exquisite I have ever seen. The shapes, colors, textures and wide variety of plants simply blow me away. It's how well tended they are, though, that astounds me.