Aloes in Wonderland, the best-ever name for a nursery

In early April, I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 Bromeliad Summit in Santa Barbara, organized by Jeff Chemnick. The Friday evening opening reception was held at Jeff's place in the Santa Barbara hills. Saying "Jeff's place" is a bit like calling Santa Barbara an "alright town." Yes, it's his home and his private garden. But it's also his place of business: a nursery called Aloes in Wonderland. That has got to be one of the best nursery names ever!

But aloes aren't Jeff's only passion. There are all kinds of other succulents, including cacti, as well as palm trees, dragon trees (Dracaena draco) and Queensland bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris). But Jeff's real specialty are cycads, specifically Mexican cycads. Jeff is a leading expert in the field and has one the largest private collections.

Where is the nursery, you might ask as you look at the photos below. The answer may surprise you: It's everywhere. Every plant you see as you walk around the garden is for sale, provided the price is right. I suspect, however, that the "right price" is directly proportional to how much Jeff is attached to it.

To set the right expectations: Aloes in Wonderland is not a conventional retail nursery. You won't find common plants at garden center prices, prepotted for immediate loading into your car.  Instead you select the specimen that speaks to you and either dig it yourself or, if it's too large, make arrangements to have it dug and delivered to your house. Aloes in Wonderland is the place to go if you want a 12-foot tree aloe, a mature cycad, or a bottle tree big enough to have a bulging trunk.

More than 60 people gathered at Aloes in Wonderland for the opening reception of the Bromeliad Summit. The weather was perfect for an outdoor gathering, as I'm sure it is in Santa Barbara 300+ days of the year. Some people sat at tables in front of the garage enjoying pizza, others were sipping wine on the front porch or in the circular driveway, and a third group—myself and Loree included—went exploring. Jeff's property is 5 acres and it's packed with plants, so it takes a while, especially when you stop approximately every 10 seconds to take a photo.

I must admit I was so overwhelmed at first that I didn't know where to begin. Look right? Look left? Look this way? Or that way? While quite a few Summit attendees had been to Aloes in Wonderland before—some seemed to be regulars—there were plenty of other newbies who were just as awestruck.

The plants alone would be a special treat, but there's also a darn spectacular view: the hills to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest.

While I usually try to identify the plants I photograph, I gave up on that idea right away. There are no labels, and I'm not enough of an aloe or cycad expert to recognize each species. Actually, it was quite liberating to not have to bother with plant names.

So.... lean back in your comfy chair and enjoy the tour. It's going to take a while.

BACK: Encephalartos horridus   FRONT: Hechtia argentea × lanata

Look how steep this hillside is! The Pacific Ocean is visible on the left.

The property extends all the way down to the house you see in the distance on the left

There a several paths winding down the hill

Boojum tree (Fouquieria columnaris) in the foreground, my Bay Area friends Justin and Max in the back

Aloes and cycads look good together, don't they?

Max checking out a picture-perfect Aloidendron 'Hercules'

The flatter area at the bottom of the hill serves as a growing ground for cycads

Queensland bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris)

Agave franzosinii, reminiscent of the Blue Garden in Lotusland

More majestic Aloidendron 'Hercules'

And more Agave franzosinii

So much contrast with just a handful of species

Icy blue beauty (Encephalartos horridus)

Next to the house there are two greenhouses...

...with all kinds of aloe...

...and cycad seedlings

Look at the tillandsias casually hanging out in the columnar euphorbias!

I loved the architectural touches like the colorful tiles on the steps

Jeff said that his property has a particularly mild microclimate, with temperatures rarely falling below 40°F

Growing orchids outside is not a big deal, apparently

Path that starts at patio next to the house and leads to the garden below

Yes, I'd love to live here!

Check out the huge Pachypodium on the right!

I've never seen a Welwitschia mirabilis, one of the world's oddest plants and anything but common, seen growing in a pot outside the front door!

But common isn't Jeff's thing, as demonstrated by these two highly desirable hechtias

Hechtia argentea, arguably the most beautiful species in this terrestrial bromeliad genus

The agave in front the Hechtia argentea isn't shabby either

Agave albopilosa matches the hechtia in beauty and desirability

There's no other agave that has tufts of hair at the tip of the leaves. But watch out, there's a sharp terminal spine hiding in there.

Hechtia lanata

Hechtia lanata is rare enough, but the addition of five flower stalks makes for an even more special sighting

I realize this isn't everyone's taste, but I like it

Hechtia lanata flowers

Another Hechtia argentea × lanata (check out the visitor in the middle of the photo!)

...and another. Jeff calls them "silver-tongued devils" :-)

Most specimens of Jeff's Hechtia argentea × lanata hybrid are very silver, as you saw in early photos, but a few of them are a truly stunning burgundy color

I hope to pick one up the next time I visit Aloes in Wonderland

More driveway plantings

Agave titanota

And a trio of Queensland bottle trees at the entrance to Jeff's property

I did my best to show you how spectacular Aloes in Wonderland is, but photos can only go so far. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, you really should. Aloes in Wonderland is open by appointment only; for contact info, visit Jeff's website.

If you're planning on attending the Cactus and Succulent Society of America's 2019 Convention in San Luis Obispo (July 17-20, 2019), you'll have opportunity to go on a field trip to Lotusland and Aloes in Wonderland on Wednesday, July 17.


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2019 Bromeliad Summit in Santa Barbara



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