SBBG Eye Candy

Scott and I visited Santa Barbara this weekend. I am a member of the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, so we stopped by Friday afternoon.  SBBG's wildflower meadow has one of the best panoramic views anywhere.

Santa Ynez Mountains in the distance, redwoods in the middle distance, majestic oaks at left,
and a wildflower meadow front and center. Paradise.

Sadly, the beer garden event Saturday was sold out weeks before, and the garden closed to the public the whole day.  We had to get our beverages at Casa Cassara Tasting Room in Solvang instead.  I skipped buying plants, because I would have had to carry them around in the car for the weekend.  Oh well.

The garden was closed to those not holding a ticket last Saturday.  Alas.

The large wildflower meadow is being renovated and wasn't blooming yet.  Around the perimeter, sages, coral bells, and other wildflowers were putting on a show.

I enjoyed seeing poppies in bloom (not yet for my garden), and pink Yarrow,
which may be a volunteer cross between cv. 'Paprika" and the wild type.

In the desert section, Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) was the star.

I love Desert Marigold's frosty foliage.
 I planted one recently, but it hasn't bloomed yet.

Even the parking lot had eye candy.  I have not seen prolific blooms of Catalina Cherry before (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii I believe)– this one does not have the holly-shaped leaves that my little guy in the backyard does.

Catalina Cherry stood out in a mixed tall hedge along the parking lot.

SBBG has a nice selection of Dudleyas.  Some of them were getting ready to bloom.

This odd little Dudleya did not have a label.  Hybrid?  In the parking lot too!

I have an annual membership at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden.  Since I'm up there 4 or 5 times a year to bug my son Mark, it comes with several free gust passes for Scott, and it has cross privileges at every botanical garden imaginable (I've been to Rancho Santa Ana, Quail Gardens in San Diego, UC Berkeley's, Manhattan Beach BG, and Red Butte Garden in Utah) it's been a great deal!  

Me hanging out with Coral Bells and Sages at SBBG.

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