Lotusland's horticultural clock

I have so many photos yet to share from my April visit to Lotusland; so looking for something quick to write about today I thought of the garden's 25-foot round horticultural clock. The clock is surrounded by topiary animals and features the twelve signs of the zodiac, hundreds of succulents, and large time-telling hands.

It's slightly over the top, in a lovable Lotusland sort of way.

Is it gauche of me to share the fact tomorrow is my birthday? Nah, Facebook will tell everyone, so why can't I?

I guess that's what got me thinking of this clock, the fact my "sign" is the crab, cancer. Neither one of those labels are particularly cheerful or optimistic, and I'm not a particularly "woo-woo" person, but damn I fit the description of this zodiac sign to a tee.

Cancer the Crab is a sign of feelings, home, and the artistic soul. Cancer season is the full flowering of Summer.

Cancer is a homebody and has a primal need for security on the home front. But the Crab is also ambitious, like other cardinal signs, and is often tenacious when moving toward its goal. 

Cancer's are Moon-ruled and can become a bit looney, especially when worn down, emotionally hurt, lonely or overwhelmed. Moods come and go quickly, and the Cancerian is intimate with the waxing and waning — the Moon in all her phases.

Cancer is at its most powerful when using the power of emotion to move people and experience meaning. (source)

What do you think? Does your personality bear a resemblance to the theoretical qualities of your zodiac sign?

Oh, and in case you're wondering I did not see a crab among the topiary animals.

Weather Diary, July 18: Hi 76, Low 61/ Precip .01"

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

Wrapping up that trip to Santa Barbara...

It's about time I put a wrap on the July trip to Santa Barbara, don't you think? Just a few random photos to share and I'll be done...

This photo could have been so much better. Andrew was (he said unintentionally) shadowing the wooden Indian's posture, until he saw me walking up and he dropped his arms to start walking with me. I was too slow with the camera.

At least I got the palm tree shadows.

And the palm itself, rather charming.

My what heavy blooms you have!

I never fail to be amazed at the star atop Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla). Such spectacular trees.

Hotel Indigo was not where we stayed, although we had been tempted. Their decor (and plant choices) looked oh-so stylishly modern. The construction next door however didn't bode well for a good night's sleep.

Ah the blue sky with sand and palm trees...maybe there's a reason I waited until (a very rainy) October to post these photos.

No doubt the dolphins are the focus of most photos in this round-about, I however was swooning over those Agave attenuata, maybe A. attenuata 'Nova'?

Where there is sand, there are frequently artists.

These we looked down on from the pier. Of course the goal was to toss a coin and have it land in the bowl, thus rewarding the artists labor.

Similar, but far more "complex"...

It's worth noting we visited Santa Barbara while the Republican National Convention was on, the Democratic convention hadn't yet occurred, thus Bernie was still in the running.

Creative commentary.

I have no idea what this one is about.

I thought for sure if I zoomed in there would be something in those little containers, but no.

*sigh*...

(again)

Walking back up State Street toward our hotel this vine was amazing, it covered most of the front of Eladio's restaurant, anyone know what it is? UPDATE: Jane Strong replied with the name almost immediately upon this post publishing — Solandra maxima — thank you Jane!

Another angle of the humongous flowers...

And an unopened bud.

"Just" a perfect Agave attenuata..

And another. They're like weeds in this part of the country.

And finally a pair of ginormous Agaves outside of Lotusland, which was the reason for this Santa Barbara visit in the first place (posts here). Thanks Santa Barbara for being just a quick plane ride away. I vow to visit more often...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens

Let's go back to Santa Barbara shall we? It was July, and we'd walked up to Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden. Andrew found it on the map and it looked promising. Across the street was this gorgeous church surrounded by palms of every size (small, medium and large).

No fishing? No swimming?

No skateboards? No bicycles? No alcoholic beverages? No adult soccer? What kind of a park is this anyway???

Ah, one with great plants! It's also a water-wise demonstration garden with plant lists available for the taking (an online version here) and brochures about how to reduce water use in home gardens. Check out those bloom-spikes!...(bloom-droops?)...I believe this is a Brahea armata (Blue Hesper Palm).

Somehow swimming wasn't the first thing that came to mind when I saw the pond. That color doesn't exactly say "jump in" does it?

Although this little guy appears to be enjoying himself.

Duck-butt!

It was a very lively place, that pond.

Ceiba speciosa or maybe C. insignis.

And a ginormous Brugmansia.

The delicate blooms on this patch-o-Cannas were quite fabulous.

But we eventually swung back around by the pond...

And the turtles!

So many turtles.

The waterlilies were nice too...

It's a sea of snakes! Or Foxtail Fern aka Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers'. I love this dense planting, especially with the Erythrina flowers peaking in on the left.

This tree! It was (and is) beautiful...

I believe it's Eucalyptus (Corymbia) ficifolia.

I searched the ground for fallen seed pods but found none.

Ah! The succulent section...

This garden unfolded with one impressive planting after another...

I read various accounts of how the garden came to be, but basically after a fire destroyed the existing buildings, the block was slated for high-rise development (to much opposition from the community which effectively killed the project). Various other uses were proposed, including one by the Santa Barbara Art Museum, but none worked out. So "in December 1975, affluent resident Alice Keck Park purchased the property and donated it to the City of Santa Barbara" (source)... by some accounts the donation was done on the condition of anonymity until after her death.

How do they keep this Dyckia so clean!? (I believe it's D. 'Jim's Red')

Aloe plicatilis, now Kumara plicatilis

I wanted to give these poor Agave parryi a nice big drink!

Maybe Aloe brevifolia (blooming)

So did you notice this bad boy in one of the earlier photos? I'd seen it from a distance and wondered what it was, then when I got closer and saw the trunk, well I had to go "off path" and get even closer.

This is why! There are little pups all over it...

It looks like an Agave, but the trunk? Only a few Agaves form trunks, what could it be? I consulted the plant list but didn't find any Agaves on the list that were contenders.

An internet search turned up this post from my friend Gerhard, turns out he'd spotted this same plant when driving by which had him pulling over. He captioned his photo "Variegated Agave sisalana or tequilana? I can’t tell, but it was HUGE!"...(it didn't look to be pup-covered when he saw it)...

This is when things get interesting for me (I'll try to keep it short). While I was in Phoenix last week I went plant shopping with my brother. He and my sister-in-law picked out a plant that wasn't labeled but I thought was a Furcraea. I took to Facebook asking for answers only find more questions, people were fairly confident it was an Agave though. Finally I decided to email Gerhard and he identified it as Agave sisalana ‘Variegata’ — an ID that I think is correct — so indeed my brother's plant was an Agave after-all, not a Furcraea.

BUT this creature....in searching to ID it, and pouring back over the plant list, I noticed the name Furcraea selloa var marginata. An internet search sent me to the San Marcos Growers website where I saw a photo of a very similar looking plant (here). I'm going with F. selloa var marginata as the ID...

A Furcraea, whaddaya know? So I wonder, did it bloom and now it's producing these pups by the million? I saw no indication of a bloom, but it was quite a bit taller than me, so had the spike been removed carefully I may not have seen it. Perhaps something else is causing it to go into reproductive over-drive?

Anyway, I thought it very interesting. Oh and here's a trio of another Furcraea, these F. macdougallii.

I'll end this visit with a look at a gorgeous Parkinsonia aculeata...

Oh Santa Barbara, why must you be such an expensive place to live!!! Don't you know I belong there?

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.