Ornamental kale, aloes, and agaves at SoCal's Roger's Gardens

At the end of December I made a quick trip to Southern California. Daughter #2 went back to university, and I came along to keep her company on the 7-hour drive. Since her apartment is only 10 minutes from Roger's Gardens, Orange County's premier destination nursery, I always swing by. 

I was greeted by a sea of white ornamental kale:

I'm not huge a fan of ornamental kale—for some reason, it makes me thing of warts and similar skin growths—but as a mass planting, it's actually quite beautiful.

Seeing all this kale made me wonder whether you could simple eat it after you're done with it in the garden. According to a variety of source, ornamental kale is perfectly safe to eat, but you may not want to: It's reported to be tough and bitter. So much for that.

Roger's Gardens is known for their exuberant street-side plantings. At this time of year, the aloes steal the show, above all Aloe 'Always Red', a Leo Thamm hybrid:

Aloe 'Always Red'

Look at this jaw-dropping combo of Aloe 'Always Red' and Agave ovatifolia:

Few agaves are as photogenic as Agave ovatifolia, and few aloes are as bloomerific as 'Always Red':

Along San Miguel Drive, I spotted some Aloe ferox in bloom:

And near the intersection of San Joaquin Hills Road and San Miguel Drive, a pineappled Agave salmiana starting to flower....

Agave salmiana

...as well as a particularly striking pairing of Agave 'Blue Flame' and Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold':

Agave 'Blue Flame' and Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold'

Agave 'Blue Flame' and Agave attenuata 'Raea's Gold'

With afternoon temperatures above 70°F (22°C), I almost forgot that it was late December. Being able to run around in a short-sleeved T-shirt was wonderful! But the deciduous trees in the area were a vivid reminder that it is winter, T-shirt weather notwithstanding:

NOTE: This article contains a list of plants that are part of the permanent street-side landscaping at Roger's Gardens.

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