Winter in California’s summer-dry climate is very different from the rest of the country.
It is a robust time in gardens as winter rains kick plants into their growing season. It is a great time to visit San Francisco Botanical Garden and get a cure for what most of us think is a dormant season.
The aloes are starting their bloom in the succulent garden.
Of course, any time of year is a great time for the Agave americana, blooming or not.
In fact, beautiful foliage is the key feature for a number of plants in the South African section.
Don’t you just want to stroke the leafy ‘feather duster’ stems of Phylica pubescens ?
Restios, grass-like perennials, have become quite popular and the ones in the Botanic Garden are mature, giving a good sense of scale.
The Heathers are flowering with their profuse tiny bells.
And in the Mesoamerican Cloud Forest, the Giant Groundsel (Telanthlophora grandifolia) shows off.
See more: a new gallery is the Archive.
And don’t forget now, one of the biggest winter attractions in San Francisco Botanical Garden is the showcase of flowering magnolias.
These photographs are absolutely amazing! I had visited these gardens a few years ago and loved them. Your photos have
brought back such fond memories.
Thanks Lee. I come from the East Coast and am still amazed at what a winter looks like in California; and even more in San Francisco.