What I saw on the way to the Wave Garden
When we visited the Wave Garden in Point Richmond on Presidents Day, we ended up parking a few blocks away because we didn’t know where entrance was (it’s at the end of Grandview Court). I enjoyed the short walk because we saw quite a few interesting sights on the way.
Point Richmond is right on San Francisco Bay and hence virtually never experiences frost. Their zone 10 climate is ideal for tender succulents like Agave attenuata and Crassula ovata. Here in Davis, just an hour away (zone 9b), they would struggle to survive outside during the winter even though our winters are anything but harsh.
Foxtail agave (Agave attenuata)
Foxtail agave and jade plant in front of another house
Do you see the hidden path to the garden gate?
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Flowering aeonium
Ruffled echeveria
Beaucarnea stricta
Tasmania tree fern (Dicksonia antartica)
Nothing but clumps of fescue—oddly mesmerizing
Manzanita, aeoniums and Senecio vitalis
Another manzanita underplanted with aeoniums
Echeveria agavoides
Aloe mitriformis
Aloe mitriformis
On some streets you can still find the rather modest houses that were built in the Point Richmond neighborhood in the 1950s but most have given way to much more substantial dwellings like this contemporary mansion:
My favorite property, however, was the one you’ll see in the next set of photos. Not so much because of the house, although I like that as well, but because of the landscaping. The plantings include South African natives--several species of leucadendrons, plus restios like Chondropetalum elephantinum—as well as grevilleas from Australia. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the landscaping was designed by Kellee Adams of dig-it landscape design. Kellee is the horticultural mastermind behind the Wave Garden just down the street.
Grevillea ‘Superb’ or similar hybrid
RELATED POST:
You're right about that property, gorgeous house with an even more gorgeous garden! Amazing that it's only an hour away from where you live and yet this area remains frost free all year hence much milder.
ReplyDeleteNice to see a tree fern too, quite a contrast to all the drought tolerant planting every where else.
That neighborhood is particularly choice for those plants--cool summers give them extra beauty. No summer heat to stunt or bleach them. The garden you show at the end was a favorite of mine as well. The plants have grown rapidly, judging by your photos.
ReplyDeleteIf the Fling buses had just been dropping us off to explore that neighborhood I would have been happy! The Wave Garden of course took it to another level.
ReplyDeleteHello, My name is Victor Amador,(designer and builder of the Wave Garden. I would like to thank everyone for their positive feedback and appreciate your comments. If you would like to contact me direct, my email address is- softconcrete@gmail.com My phone number is (510)395-3032
ReplyDeleteVictor, thank you very much for your reply. Your work on the Wave Garden is nothing short of spectacular.
Delete