Succulents and More™

This is part 2 of my post about two recent visits to the Ruth Bancroft Garden. Click here to read part 1 if you haven’t already. As I mentioned in part 1, the Ruth Bancroft Garden is only 3½ acres, but there are so many things to see that it takes a while to walk through. Last weekend, I was with a group from the Sacramento Cactus and Succulent Society , and it took even longer because I spent a lot of time yakking. Honestly, sharing an experience like this with fellow enthusiasts raises it to another level. I do appreciate alone time and don’t need to constantly be around people, but I highly recommend you join a group like a local cactus and succulent society or a perennial club. Getting together with like-minded peeps, even if it’s only once a month for a couple of hours, can do wonders for your energy, enthusiasm, and creativity. Plus, chances are you’ll learn from others in the process. Silk-floss tree ( Ceiba speciosa ) One of the most spectacular sights at the RBG at this time...

As luck would have it, I visited the Ruth Bancroft Garden (RBG) twice over the last two weekends. On October 4, my friend Michele and I made a quick stop before Cricket Riley’s garden party celebrating the launch of her book Designing the Lush Dry Garden , written in collaboration with Alice Kitajima and Kier Holmes. And then a week later, on October 11, the Sacramento Cactus and Succulent Society (SCSS) went on a bus trip to the RBG. The weather was glorious both times, and I took more photos than I had initially realized — so many, in fact, that I need to split this post into two parts. This is part 1; here is part 2 . I’ve blogged about the Ruth Bancroft Garden countless times over the years, and many of you have been there yourselves. If you’re not familiar with Ruth Bancroft and the iconic garden she started when she was 63 years old, read my review of Designing the Lush Dry Garden for a brief summary. If you’re interested in the full story, check out Johanna Silver’s book The ...