GardenBook

 Back in March I did a multi day swing through various Southern California locations which included a stop at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino. I managed to produce one post that focused on the entry garden a couple of months later , which you can see here . By the time June rolled around I had been to Garden Bloggers Fling in Austin among other places and the garden visits and photos were piling up. I'm almost (almost) looking forward to winter down time so I can get my photo files in order . 2018 has been a particularly rich garden tour year, and plans for 2019 are already in development, with many options on the table.  This time around we'll have a stroll through the iconic Desert Garden, one of the premier collections of its' type world wide.  The Huntingtons' website states that this garden is 100 years old, the accomplishment  of William Hetrich , the first curator of the gardens. Clearly ahead of it's time-the terms dry-adapted, summer dry, drought to

  In September I had the opportunity to tour the garden of fellow blogstress Tamara of the always informative and entertaining Chickadee Gardens. Tamara and her spouse David (aka the Facilities Manager) made the move from their home and small but splendid urban garden in Portland in late 2015 to a 2+ acre spread north of the city. You can read about the move, the motivation for the move and see photos of the property before the transformation began here . Tamaras' chronicle of the efforts here have really captivated me, I read every post usually more than once and seeing the garden in person was a genuine pleasure and a check-off on the bucket list.  My only regret is that I failed to photograph the aesthetically beautiful and  delicious lunch that we were served upon arrival-most of the ingredients originated right there, just a stroll away from the table. And you couldn't beat the company; Loree the proprietress of the Danger Garden , and Gerhard of Succulents and More . The

 Last weekend I had one of those 'I Need to Get the Hell Out of Here' road trips, just a brief 2 night stay on the Mendocino Coast. Of course the weather was fabulous, but horrible for photos . When the fog started to roll in Saturday night I should have high-tailed it to the botanical garden to take photos before closing time, but I missed that opportunity and instead went Sunday morning with full cloudless sun. I didn't even bother to take many images with the exception of the Dahlia garden-it was in peak bloom and protected by partial shade from a grove of giant Eucalyptus and a ring of Cypress that looms over this area. I love Dahlias but I find them extremely awkward as garden plants and really struggle with finding places for them in my own garden. Oh to have spot for a cutting garden-the ultimate solution.  The least horrible of garden shots Suitably Mendocino Coast signage.   The Dahlias love the cool frost free environment here, but they