The Gardens at the Back Bay Inn
Earlier this week I made a brief but mentally required road trip to the California central coast area . The central coast is an obvious transition between Northern and Southern California; for the plant-centric among us the differences are easy to see. Our hills began to shed their green winter finery and don the golden brown of summer the further south I traveled. Thanks to a recommend from the Mulch Maid , I booked a few nights at the Back Bay Inn , a small casual establishment on the quiet south end of Morro Bay. Besides the attraction of being right on the water , this inn had a lovely small garden with a compelling plant palette that framed the view of the water from my 2nd floor balcony.
This Agave has seen better days .
Looks like there is some new planting to do !
The little boardwalk takes the stroller past the resting Kayaks and through the garden.
As do South African and Australian cultivars.
The poodled-up trees are unfortunately Melaleucas that are headed back to allow the the balconies an unobstructed view. Since I was in fact on a balcony I selfishly mentally approved of this otherwise unacceptable pruning device.
On the inland side of the building , grasses , Salvias and Gaillardias provide another punch of color, I expect these are likely to bloom almost year round here.
While I was gone -3.5 days - all my weeds grew 10 feet. Or so it seemed.
This Agave has seen better days .
Looks like there is some new planting to do !
The little boardwalk takes the stroller past the resting Kayaks and through the garden.
Some nice well-grown specimens; cacti and succulents thrive in this frost-free and relatively low rainfall climate.
As do South African and Australian cultivars.
The poodled-up trees are unfortunately Melaleucas that are headed back to allow the the balconies an unobstructed view. Since I was in fact on a balcony I selfishly mentally approved of this otherwise unacceptable pruning device.
On the inland side of the building , grasses , Salvias and Gaillardias provide another punch of color, I expect these are likely to bloom almost year round here.
While I was gone -3.5 days - all my weeds grew 10 feet. Or so it seemed.
I was away recently too and came back to lots of growth, both weeds and plants. Looks like Jane made a great recommendation. Thanks for sharing your fab photos!
ReplyDeleteSince she went back a second time I figured it was a safe bet !
DeleteAh Kathy, this was almost as good as a little vacation for me, thank you. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Loree ! I love our central coast and it's really a relatively short drive ( I classify anything under 6hrs on a road trip as a 'short drive') but damn ,they need more garden centers.
DeleteGreat photos! I'm so glad you checked out the Back Bay Inn. It looks awesome. We'll stay there the next time we're down that way. It's closer to SLO, too.
ReplyDeleteNothing fancy Gerhard, but you can't beat the price when it comes to waterfront accommodations, and yes, close in to SLO and Paso. 2 hours to Seaside Gardens !
DeleteIt looks like a great place to stay. I wouldn't mind settling into one of those adirondack chairs to read or just have a good stare at the view. It's too bad about your weeds. They've been little problem here this spring in the land of no rain - I guess Mother Nature provides some compensation for her injuries.
ReplyDeleteI got drought spoiled with the weed situation here Kris. This year took me by surprise and I am behind schedule !
DeleteOn a recent trip up the coast we left the 5 and cut across to Santa Cruz -- I forget the hwy number -- and everything turned green and the artichokes in the farm stands were cheap, really cheap. Ah, the central coast!
ReplyDeleteLeaving 5 is always good. Perhaps you took the 152 ? I have loved driving or riding on 101 between Ventura and San Jose since childhood-
DeleteA good place to stay? The garden looks great. That climate there is heaven for plants despite modest rainfall. Weeds...it's called "paying for the rain".
ReplyDeleteOh, and I've paid this year--I'm afraid I let my guard down during the drought winters ! Comfortable and quiet , a humble breakfast included. Just what I needed.
DeleteGreat set of pictures, Kathy! Isn't it great when you can find the hidden gems?
ReplyDeleteGreat gardens and kayaking - two of my favorite things. Great photos too.
ReplyDelete