The Ruth Bancroft Garden Part One: Plants

The Ruth Bancroft Garden is a 2.5 acre dry botanical garden containing more than 2,000 cactus, succulents, trees, and shrubs native to various dry parts of the World. The Garden began in the early 1950s as a private collection within Bancroft Farm (a former provider of prize pears), when Ruth brought home a single succulent, an Aeonium grown by a Ms. Glenn Davidson. By 1972, the collection had outgrown its location and was moved to its current site, then an orchard of dying walnut trees. The Aeonium "Glenn Davidson" is still growing in the Garden.

In 1989, it became the first garden in the United States to be preserved by The Garden Conservancy, and has been open to the public since 1992. Today the Garden is an outstanding landscape of xerophytes and a tribute to Ruth Bancroft who is still hanging in there at the ripe age of 103.

We began  day three of the Garden Bloggers' Fling in June in this marvelous garden.  Temperatures in the 100's seemed very appropriate for this desert garden.  The pacing of the garden tours was excellent!  By the beginning of day three, after visiting so many incredible gardens, I felt like I'd seen a lot of treasures in the bay area.  The third day gardens, all much different from each other, continued the fireworks show of gardens beautifully, presenting even more possibilities. 

These Palms predate the current garden and were planted in the late 1800's or early 1900's.

These Agave bloom spikes look like trees!

Loree, the Dangerous one, flirting with a spiky fellow.  I was not prepared for how awesome huge Agaves would be.  They demand one's attention with their stature and stunning shapes.

 Gerhard from Banboo, Succulents, and More drove down to meet the tour at the garden.  It was such a pleasure to meet him after having read his blog for so long.  Gerhard and Loree enjoyed walking through the garden together.

Before the blooms emerge, the bloom stalks of some agaves look very much like giant asparagus.  Probably don't taste very good though.

More delicious palms.

Some aloe or other.  I was blown away by the size of these plants that we baby in pots and can eventually get a little big but nothing like this.  I was so ready to move!

The Californians grow all kinds of interesting plants in their palm trunks. 

Sweet little aloes looking like they're not too happy with all of this sun.

 

 Tiny Tim tiptoed through the tulips, others prefer to saunter surrounded by succulents.

Agave victoriae-reginae (guessing)  looking delightfully symmetrical.

 Alison admiring a large opuntia.

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home...hey wait, someone threw some extra piggies in there!

 Some dry shade.

Huge opuntias peeked over fences all over the bay area.  It was such a treat to see them up close and personal.  Jane, originally from California, taking a picture of a lovely specimen.

O.K. is it just I who hears this song in his head whenever he sees Barrel cacti?

 

I think this is Agave 'Cornelius' which I hope Valley Nursery gets again this season as I saw one there but was in some sort of "no more tender plants" jag and didn't get it.  What was I thinking?  It was gone on my next visit.  Rats!  The lesson is that you should buy plants without thinking, when you see them or they may be gone tomorrow.  The mortgage will pay itself, it always seems to, right? 

Love this combination!  I'm thinking that's a Yucca rostrata  behind what might be an Erythrina. 

Who says that a xeric garden can't be lush?   Scott  capturing an image of something sharp. 

One wonders who gets to weed beds like this and if they get some sort of body armor to wear. 

 

Have no idea what tree this is but the bees loved the flowers.  It was a treat to stand in the shade and hear the buzzing sound all around. 

The seed capsules were also very sweet!

Hope the memory of this blazing hot day warms your winter spirits!