The Outlaw Gardener: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Feeling Crabby?

What sort of monster is this that's menacing pier 39 in San Francisco? Is it a sea creature that was exposed to radiation and has now emerged from the deep to wreak vengeance? Result of climate change? Alien invader from outer space?

A rolling stone gathers no moss. What kind of crab gathers aeoniums? This kind obviously. Isn't it cool? The people below don't seem too concerned that they'll be consumed by the beast.

He must be a vegetarian as it looks like he prefers to dine on those hanging baskets. On the other hand, there is a speaker in the lower left. Perhaps he simply came on to dry land to party.

A few hours later it looked as if he hadn't moved but do you see any more of those red pelargoniums? That's one clever crab!

So, if you garden in a costal region, beware of giant succulent-bodied flower-eating crabs. And you thought that deer caused a lot of damage... Is it the eve of destruction? No silly, it's just new year's eve. Here's to an even happier and less crabby 2014!

Monday, December 30, 2013

The Ruth Bancroft Garden Part Two; An Art Show

When, on the third day of the Garden Bloggers' Fling in San Francisco, we visited the Ruth Bancroft Garden, we got not only a wonderful garden to explore but also an art show to admire in the blazing heat! If you missed part one which focused on the marvelous plants, you can see it here.

Living in the wet Pacific northwest, I'm accustomed to seeing garden art used as a structural foil to sometimes chaotic and lush foliage. In the Bancroft garden, the plants themselves are so structural themselves that experiencing garden art in this setting was quite a different experience for those of us with webbed feet!

Before we start the show, here's a really cute idea from the shop. These are made with small aluminum jello molds and the wire cork holders from champagne bottles. Something to think about keeping after your New Year's Eve toast!

Here is a sampling of the work displayed for sale as a fundraiser for the garden. I apologize that I don't have all of the artist's names/titles of the works displayed. If you know any that are left out, please let me know.