Stopping in at Sherman Gardens

The trip a friend and I took to the South Coast Plaza Spring Garden Show last weekend was disappointing and we spent far less time there than we have in the past.  So, after an early lunch, we headed to Sherman Library & Gardens in nearby Corona del Mar.  It was a beautiful day with perfect weather, although the garden was very crowded.  We were lucky to find a parking spot on the street.

I've visited the gardens many times before.  Here's what drew my attention this time.

The Central Garden is replanted several times a year so there's almost always something new to see.  This time the beds surrounding the  middle of the display included a relatively monochromatic mix of Nemesia, Gerbera daisies, and foxgloves.  The Hippeastrum on the podium looked like 'Luna' to me but I didn't try to verify that.

These plants were featured in the Mediterranean Garden.  The plant on the upper right is Sonchus palmensis, a giant relative of the humble dandelion.  Mine didn't bloom last year but it's looking promising this year.  The 2 Leucospermums shown in the bottom row attracted a lot of attention from visitors.

The Bromeliad Garden looked far sparser than I remember and I'm guessing that it was undergoing renovation

The Sun Garden was planted with lots of poppies this April

The statues, previously part of the Sun Garden, are currently part of the Formal Garden.  The way the pedestals were placed, some with plants hanging from their mid-sections, suggested ancient ruins.

The orchid display drew my attention.  All but one in this group were Cymbidiums.  I couldn't identify the one on the left in the middle row.

I'm in love with this rock orchid, which a friend who volunteers at this garden identified for me as Dendrobium speciosum.  I haven't found it in stock anywhere yet but I've put it on my wish list with one orchid grower.  If I find it, its cost may put it out of bounds but we shall see.

The Tropical Conservatory was especially hot and humid on this visit but the koi fish and turtles in the pond weren't bothered

The Tillandsia-covered flamingo stood just outside the entrance to the conservatory, which sported Medinella magnifica (lower left), as well as a variety of orchids

These shots were taken in the Specimen Shade Garden.  I was attracted to the pretty yellow Azalea.  There was a tag but I didn't catch the name.  It may be Rhododendron atlanticum x austrinum.  The begonias were looking a little sad but, due to the cooler temperatures we've had, that's true of many of mine as well.

While I saw only 2 of the mannequins dressed in flowers and greenery I'd expected at the South Coast Plaza Garden show, I was surprised to run into this one in Sherman's Tea Garden.  I expect the majority of the mannequins are displayed in the fashion-focused segment of South Coast Plaza, across the street from the mall area that hosted the garden show.

These photos were taken in the Succulent Garden, as were those in the next 3 collages

Plant IDs for many of the plants in this and other areas of the garden can now be found in the Fantastic Flora section of Sherman Garden's website

Agave attentuata 'Variegata' (left) and A. 'Sun Glow' (right)

I immediately fixated on this Agave in the late stages of its bloom/death cycle.  Its base had declined to the point that I can't ID it, although it looks like a larger version of the Agave below it, which I believe is Agave potatorum 'Kichiokan' (aka dwarf butterfly agave).  Instead of bulbils (plantlets), it's developed large seedpods.  I suppose it could be a Mangave of some kind but, if so, it's not one I recognize.

These are shots of plants I noticed that didn't fit neatly into any of the named garden areas.  Clockwise from the upper left: Abutilon, Hippeastrum, and 2 Japanese maples.

It's interesting to see how this garden changes from one visit to the next.  As it happens, I published a post on Sherman Gardens almost exactly a year ago.  If you're interested in drawing your own comparisons, you can view that post here.

That's it from me this week.  I'm struggling to keep up with my own garden as the weather warms.  The morning marine layer returned this week so we haven't had temperatures as hot as those we experienced last Friday but it's been warm enough to prompt more blooms and more weeds just as most of the bulb blooms head for the exit.  It's keeping me busy!

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