Monday, 9 July 2012

Stanley Park

Summer is here in the PNW!! There is a change in the air. Not just being warmer, but in peoples spirit. Everyone has a look and sense of euphoria. I headed out to Stanley Park on the weekend to take in the sun, people watching, beach and great gardens!


Aeoniums were planted all over!

I love these black ones especially with the nice yucca gloriosa in the background.  These were taken in front of the restaurant at the Malkin Bowl.


Succulents anyone? I don't think I have ever seen more echeveria in my entire life.

 They almost look like a blanket of snow - the only kind of snow I like, blankets of pale icy blue echeveria!!!

Phormium surfer I believe....


Danger! I think I shrieked when I saw this pair of epic agave americana (you can faintly make out the one in the background).


This guy had been largely de-spiked... too bad.

I'm always amazed at how good the zone 8/9 plants looks at stanley park.... sigh.



What do you suppose this is supposed to be?

Succulent art of some kind.  I was enamoured by all these wonderful echeveria.




I'm thinking it's some kind of possessed clown.  It's creepy but a twisted side of me likes it.  If I envision the smily face to be mountains, the nose to be the sun, and the eyes/brows to be the clouds it almost becomes an even more epic landscape.  hmmm.. this could be a fun game.



I could literally spend hours exploring the gardens of Stanley Park.  Unfortunately we had some sort of schedule to keep.  Next time.



I absolutely need these!!! Prickly flowers... does it get any better?


Posted by at
Labels: ,

4 comments:

  1. Desert Dweller9 July 2012 at 20:52

    I had no idea that all those echeverias would grow there, let alone Agave americana...unless Stanley Park is drier? I went there once, a wet, cool winter's day a decade ago. Vancouver really has some things I never see in the US, but with some of the typical NW elements. But those plants...nice!

    I would imagine people from Alberta or Manitoba feel the same about that area in winter, as many do about southern California...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Louis9 July 2012 at 22:01

      Vancouver is horticulturally insane... in a good way. I don't think those echeveria are really hardy enough for Stanley Park. I think it speaks more or less of an incredible budget. I question whether or not the agave americana are permanent fixtures or not. I would say that the park is at least zone 8b and sheltered spots are even in the zone 9a range - but it is fairly wet. I have had success with echeveria glauca and I am significantly colder than Stanley Park. And I do know of some agave americana in the Victoria area and of agave americana variegata in Surrey. So it's definitely a possibility.

      Next to parts of Vancouver Island and the gulf Islands it's the mildest place in the Country. I can still remember my cousin from Manitoba visiting in the winter time. She was shocked ... even dipped her toes in the water.

      Delete
  2. danger garden9 July 2012 at 22:15

    I hate to admit this but I've only driven around Stanley Park, never actually getting out and walking around. Why!?

    Please promise you'll go back in the late fall and see if they lift the succulents! I was lucky to visit VanDusen the day the we're pulling them, otherwise I might have actually believed Agave attenuata could grow there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Louis9 July 2012 at 22:47

      Well next time you will have somewhere new to explore! It's really amazing. maybe you got thrown off by all the rose gardens near the entrance from Downtown?

      I will most certainly go back in the fall. Maybe I could convince them to let me "overwinter them at my house?!" Oh I sooo wish agave attenuata could grow here. That would mean so many wonderful things. *sigh* Oh to live somewhere where we could grow agave attenuata. One day.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)