Spring at the Ruth Bancroft Garden
After I’d done all the damage I could at the Ruth Bancroft Garden’s spring plant sale last Saturday, I took a leisurely stroll through the garden. I’ve been here so many times, I’m always afraid of running out of things to photograph. Fortunately, the garden continues to evolve and I always find new things to take pictures of—or I take more photos of my favorite plants.
April is a great time to visit. There is so much in bloom, and the temperatures are still reasonably mild. Join me on as I meander through the garden. You might be inspired to transform your own garden into a miniature RBG!
A big thank you to Brian Kemble, curator of the Ruth Bancroft Garden, for helping me ID some of the plants in these photos.
One of the first groups of plants visitors see as they enter the garden proper from the parking lot near the office
This is a good spot to see agaves in bloom
Agave parryi var. truncata
Agave franzosinii
Yucca carnerosana
Yucca carnerosana
BOTTOM: Yucca carnerosana TOP: Yucca rigida
LEFT: Yucca carnerosana RIGHT: Yucca rigida
The comical-looking aloe in the middle is the tilt-head aloe (Aloe speciosa). To the left: Agave tequilana. To the right: Aloe excelsa × cameronii
Backlit aloe flowers glowing like jewels (according to Brian Kemble, “this […] is an old hybrid whose parentage we do not know, though it clearly has a maculate Aloe in its parentage”)
I took this photo because of the blooming Leucospermum ‘Succession’ in the lower right
What a great combination: Purple aeoniums behind an ice-blue whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia)
Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris)
Puya coerulea
One my favorite agaves at the RBG, a hybrid between Agave havardiana and Agava gigantensis. I’ve never seen it offered for sale anywhere.
Variegated Agave parryi
Agave parrasana
Hechtia texensis
Agaveland
Xanthorrhoea nana
Agave colorata × bovicornuta
Furcraea macdougalii
Agave cerulata spp. subcerulata
I love to visit this little guy to see how fast he’s growing (not very). It’s a small boojum tree (Fouquieria columnaris) from Baja California.
Fouquieria diguetii, a close relative of the ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), which the RBG also grows (I just need to find out where). I’d been wondering for a long time if it’s possible to grow ocotillo in our area (Walnut Creek has pretty much the same climate as Davis). The secret is lots of heat and good drainage.
Prickly pear and California poppy tapestry
Whoever chose this table-and-chair set picked the perfect color
LEFT: Agave franzosinii RIGHT: Aloidendron ‘Hercules’
Juvenile Agave ovatifolia
Bloomed-out Agave schidigera ‘Durango Delight’
LEFT: Aloe capitata v. quartziticola × cryptopoda RIGHT: Aloe striata
Aloe striata
Aloe striata
LEFT: Agave salmiana var. ferox ‘Butterfinger’ TOP RIGHT: Agave ‘Mr Ripple’
BOTTOM RIGHT: Agave parrasana
Agave salmiana var. ferox ‘Butterfinger’. I bought a small plant earlier this year. Yikes, it will get big if unleashed!
TOP: Agave ‘Mr Ripple’ BOTTOM: Agave parrasana
FRONT: golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) BACK: purple broom (Polygala virgata)
Stenocactus ochoterenanus
Backlit Cleistocactus hyalacanthus
Opuntia robusta
Opuntia robusta
Yucca rigida
Yucca rigida
FRONT: Agave striata BACK: Agave parryi
Agave colorata
LEFT: Manfreda guttata ‘Jaguar’ RIGHT: Echeveria agavoides
Manfreda guttata ‘Jaguar’
Agave parryi var. truncata and Euphorbia inermis var huttonae
Euphorbia inermis var huttonae
Agave franzosinii
TOP: Agave gypsophila BOTTOM: Aloe capitata var, quartziticola
Echeveria ‘Lace’
Echeveria ‘Lace’
Echeveria ‘Lace’
Echeveria ‘Lace’
Agave titanota
LEFT: Agave guiengola RIGHT: Agave guadalajarana
LEFT: Agave guadalajarana RIGHT: Agave nickelsiae
Agave nickelsiae
Dyckias in bloom
Agave mitis getting ready to flower
Assorted succulents reminding me of an under-the-sea garden
The agaves at the top are a hybrid similar to ‘Blue Glow’ but dating back to the 1980s (no known cultivar name)
Finally, I’d like to direct you to this video created to solicit support for the new Visitor and Education Center Project at the Ruth Bancroft Garden. It gives a great overview of the history of Walnut Creek, the Bancroft property, and the RBG. Plus, you get to see quite a few of the plants I featured in this post. Don’t miss this video!
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Wonderful garden, wonderful photos -- oh, those blooming yuccas...! Good video, too [Salvia pachyphylla at 3.24!!! How I love that plant...]. Hope the new Visitor and Education Center Project will be a rousing, barn-raising success.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hope the Visitor and Education Center will become a reality. It would propel the garden into the 21st century as far as facilities and revenue opportunities goes.
DeleteSo lucky to be able to visit this legendary garden regularly. One day we'll make it :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it's getting better every year thanks to the wonderful folks working and volunteering there.
DeleteBrings back memories of our visit during the fling. How cool that you can visit regularly! Love this place! Agave colorata is going on my list. Thanks for another drool -worthy tour!
ReplyDeleteThe temperatures were MUCH more pleasant last Saturday than during the 2013 Garden Bloggers Fling :-)
DeleteI have several Agave colorata, and each one has its own unique look. A super cool species!
I'm always concerned that I'll cease to find something new to photograph when I visit Cistus. Of course that's just crazy, there's always something new, and if not it's nice to revisit old favorites. BTW yes, I am inspired to transform my own garden into a miniature RBG...darn climate.
ReplyDeleteThe RBG has been adding a lot of interesting companion plants: leucospermums, leucadendrons, and other goodies from the southern hemisphere. Plus, I'm seeing more agaves from Baja California. It's amazing how much new stuff there is to look at whenever I go (every three months or so).
DeleteGreat photos as usual! I didn't know that the flower color of Aloe striata could vary. I have to visit that garden one day.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I associate Aloe striata with red flowers but the RBG also has plants with orange flowers. They have a lot of unusual aloes, seeing how curator Brian Kemble is a renowned aloe expert.
DeleteXanthorrhoea nana? You don't say....didn't know there were smaller species.
ReplyDeleteAnd colorata x bovicornuta, wow! Love the flowers on mitis, can't wait to see mine. Usually I'm bummed when an agave flowers, but not this time.
Very comprehensive tour, Gerhard. Don't worry, we'll never tire of tours of the RBG.
Yes, Xanthorrhoea nana is a much smaller grass tree. It only grows to 2 ft. (and even that takes forever). Like most xanthorrhoeas, availability is a huge issue. As in: they're impossible to find.
DeleteThere are several sources for Agave colorata x bovicornuta. The RBG nursery carries it as does Greg Starr (he sells his under the clever cultivar name 'Mad Cow').