GardenCrafter's Guru Blog

Welcome to my blog!

Hello, my name is Mark Olson and I am the founder of Gardencrafters Landscape & Design. I have enjoyed over 25 years of designing and building custom residential and commercial landscapes in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. I am educated in Horticulture and Design with extensive practical experience in construction, materials, irrigation, drainage, walls, patios and driveways, water features, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, lighting and plant materials. Plants are my passion.

Over many years I have learned quite a few things from designing and building gardens for my many clients. These include answers to common questions about landscape design, materials, plants and maintenance to ensure they are satisfied with their gardens. Common questions I have encountered -  what  landscape design is best for my home architectural style and personal taste, what is this plant I like called, how do I keep my landscape flourishing, e.g, when is the best time of day to water, when do I prune, fertilize, etc.? What is a drought tolerant landscape, what can I do with this space I have, what plants survive wildlife, pets and children? And my favorite, what is a low maintenance garden?

In addition, I have been blessed with an adventurous spirit for the outdoors and have travelled near and far to pursue my wanderlust. I have led many group backpacks, hikes, mountain climbs and adventures. I have visited many gardens both here and abroad and have an interest in the art, architecture and way of life of other cultures. Landscaping and plants are my passion and my vocation, but travel and experiencing other cultures is my avocation. I plan to lead small groups to experience some of the gardens I have explored overseas in the future. For now, Thailand, it's culture and gardens are my passion and I plan to showcase more of them to encourage you to visit in the future.

In my blog I look forward to passing along my knowledge and hearing from you.

Best regards,

Your Gardencrafters Guru, Mark

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA # 925-998-8870         

SACRAMENTO AREA # 916-933-1010

Please visit our website www.gardencrafters.com to learn more about us

Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya japonica)

Here is a Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya japonica) that I stumbled across in Old Town Folsom while reading a response to my post on the Bronze Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya deflexa), serendipitous? Here, it is not used as a street tree, but its close. It has already bloomed and the clusters of fruit are forming. It has a nice multitrunked form to it, the leaves are not as glossy and there is no bronze new foliage.

It has smooth bark too, but a darker grey with brown and at times almost velvety in appearance. This specimen has had some poor pruning in the past, and maybe some physical damage from an accident? They can get fire blight, but it's not a common problem.

It really does have a beautiful branching structure, and I love the mottled bark. The leaves are larger than the Bronze Loquat, and very leathery.

The fruit in clusters will grow to about the size of Apricots, yellow to orange in color and have very large seeds inside. I have seen them volunteer in many gardens and suspect that is how many of them get planted. This tree would make an even worse urban street tree than the Bronze Loquat because it has all of the same problems plus very messy fruit that would require cleanup. It would probably attract rodents, as I have seen this in very overgrown gardens. But in the right place (not over paving, or in a lawn) I wouldn't hesitate to plant either one of these trees.

FRIEND OR FOE: BRONZE LOQUAT (Eriobotrya deflexa)

Bronze Loquat is a beautiful, small, broadleaf evergreen tree. But is it a good street tree? You decide. These specimens are about 40 years old. Usually I see this tree as a large shrub, I have even used it as an espalier against a building. This is in San leandro in the east bay area.

It has beautiful branching structure and is usually multi-trunked. These have been pruned up to be able drive under. The smooth bark is quite attractive, but scars easily. In a different setting the trunk and branches would look outstanding with lights highlighting them from below. Notice how small the planting area is.

The white flowers in the spring are beautiful and have a slightly sweet fragrance. These flowers later become small dry fruit, that fall in mass. In fact the tree is quite messy, with a combination of the large leaves and fruit falling for most of the year. Scale insects and aphids can be a problem too, resulting in sooty mold and aphid dew covering the cars parked under them. The fruit are no where near as messy as the Loquat Tree grown for its edible fruit (Eriobotrya japonica), a tree that would be a disaster in this situation.

Obviously these are tough trees, they receive no irrigation and this specimen has no planting area left at all! The inevitable paving heave is occuring and it appears that areas of the sidewalk have been replaced before. This is a problem with most trees used as street trees. I love the bronzy new leaves of this tree, it's bark, trunk and canopy are outstanding, but it's litter and insect problems would rule it out for me to choose; If you park under it for just a few hours, you need to wash your car! Great tree in a different setting, what do you think?

Hidden Paradise: How to turn a small, conventional, semi-urban landscape into a secluded multi-dimensional retreat, a place to relax and enjoy friends and family.

When I first looked at this site there was a very simple, conventional landscape with three existing large trees, a Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), a Flowering Pear and a Red Maple (Acer rubrum). There was also a very ugly hedge completely obscuring the railing of the wrap around porch. In addition the fencing came across to the house behind the wrap around porch and there was no access to the back yard. I made some very simple modifications, beginning with removing the Pear tree that was between the two other trees, removing the hedge, having the railing freshly painted, reducing the size of the lawn and creating access off the porch to the back yard. In addition brick pavers were installed over the existing concrete walkway to add more emphasis to the brick columns.

The front of the house faces east and receives only morning sun, so shade plants were used for the new landscape. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)  and Fortnight Lily (Dietes iridioides) were used in front of the columns to soften them and create visual interest. Silver Dragon Lilyturf (Liriope spicata 'Silver Dragon') was selected for the groundcover running the length of the porch. This is a great groundcover for shaded irrigated areas and it's silvery foliage is a wonderful contrast to other foliage colors. Seasonal annuals flank the walkway and add color "pop" to the entrance.

To emphasize the cottage like feel of the front porch, Evergreen Clematis vine (Clematis armandii) was trained on anchored galvanised wires to wrap around the eaves of the house. This is spectacular in the spring when it is covered with white flowers. Specimen plants in containers and statuary were added to the front porch and a seasonal banner display created a whimsical effect . Low voltage fixtures light up the columns at night and reflect light into the porch area for security.

The existing fence was moved up to meet the columns and a new entrance structure to the back yard was designed and installed. It was designed to invite as well as separate the front from the back. It was painted to match the house and the entrance door and the front door to the house were both painted terra cotta. A doggie portal was designed into the gate to allow the dog to see the outside world and keep the barking to a minimum.

In this view through the entrance gate the back yard appears to be larger than it is. Originally the back was similar to the front, just lawn and four small trees, no patio and no other plants. But I wanted to create a backyard retreat and a place that was conducive to entertaining friends and family. Adding the connection between the front and the back greatly enhanced the traffic flow and opened up many possibilities. In this view the detailing of the entrance structure to blend with the columns is apparent.

The two existing Trident Maples (Acer buergerianum) were framed with a raised brick planter that connects to the small fireplace that was also added.The brick patio connects the entrance gate to the kitchen/family room doors and leads to the back patio. The area around the fireplace is a more intimate area visible from within the house, and a BBQ area was included here. There is allot going on here in a very small space, but it doesn't feel crowded. Fern Pine (Afrocarpus gracilior), in the foreground, can become a small tree but is easily trained as an espalier to soften the side of the house.

The third Trident Maple and the Crape Myrtle (lagerstroemia indica) were kept and designed around. Concrete with a brick circle was used for the main patio area to keep the cost down. Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) was planted to cover the back fence and other tropical plants were selected primarily for their foliage contrast. Philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum) was used to cover the garage wall, this is a hardy tropical plant with huge leaves that thrives in the shade and is easy to keep trained.The privacy cover over the spa is temporary as a Giant Timber Bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii), a non-invasive clumping variety, was planted behind it and will eventually provide privacy from neighboring windows.

In this view back towards the entrance gate the complexity of this small garden becomes apparent. Container plants are used to soften the corners and add interest to the patio. When designing a small space much thought must go into the flow of the space and how all the elements will fit together, but it is very possible to create a beautiful privacy retreat even with two-story windows looking down from all sides. Low voltage lighting was used throughout the yard to make the space enjoyable to use at night.

In this view taken during the summer, the layering possible in a small patio garden becomes apparent. Using permanent plants in the background with container plants in the foreground adds to the dynamism of the space. The contrast between the white Angels Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) and the red Dwarf Kangaroo Paws(Anigozanthos spp.) is striking. In the midground (hard to see) is a small fountain in the planting bed that adds a wonderful sound and visual element in a small garden. But be careful with the size of a fountain in a small space with reflected walls, the noise can sometimes be too loud.

More of the same two plants, the contrast is wonderful, they work well together.

Okay, enough already !

 

 

Mark Olson in the Field:Some of the places Mark has been exploring which will be featured in future posts.

 
Mark exploring Chiang Mai and the north of Thailand. What is it about this place that feels like visiting an alternate reality? A place to see over and over again. Care to come with me?

 
Mark exploring the south of France bringing back ideas from Provencal landscape styles. Amazing iron work and lavender everywhere...hmmn, how do I live and work here?

 Mark exploring Portugal and it's fantastical castles, paving and tile....hmmn, cool place and allot more affordable than France

 Mark exploring Paris and Versailles, what can you say that hasn't already been said, it is truly a feast for the senses. I didn't want to leave I was so overwhelmed with the design of the city, the creation of vast vistas, the boulevards and parks, architecture, detailing, quality of work and the materials used , you could wander here for weeks...or years

 Mark exploring Ireland and it's amazing shades of green. Lush gardens, friendly people, great beer, what more could you want?....maybe less rain, there's a reason it's so green

 Mark exploring Guatemala and it's incredible Mayan Architecture. The views from on top of these temples looking out over the rainforest with temple after temple jutting up through the canopy get fused into your brain. Must have been the inspiration for the new de Young Museum.

Mark exploring Belize and it's colorful Caribbean villages. The use of very bright colors, intermixed with palms and bold foliage plants just jumps out at you. I love to use these elements in a tropical garden.

 Mark exploring Canada, it's incredible gardens, its astounding architecture and friendly people........hmmn, no wonder so many of us move to Canada, not sure I could handle the winters.Incidentally, this is a Goldenchain Tree walk, just past peak bloom.

 Mark exploring Tuscany, it's medieval and renaissance architecture, friendly people, to-die-for cuisine and amazing simple landscapes..I'm always surprised when people say they want a Tuscan landscape, the real thing is probably not what they had in mind. It's the surrounding landscape of Tuscany that is so breathtaking....by the way, what a place to live!

  Mark exploring Andalucia in Southern Spain, it's incredible Islamic Architecture and gardens, the tile, plaster, fountains and courtyards, it's like visiting the mothership for California Spanish Revival architecture, if you can think of it, they already did it centuries ago.

Mark exploring Costa Rica and it's astounding diversity of plant and wild life. The gardens in Costa Rica showcase  this diversity and you see Palms, Orchids and Bromeliads combined with large leaved tropicals, bold flowers, Bamboo and Columnar Cacti. If a dinosaur stepped out of the scenery it wouldn't surprise you. Think Hawaii on steroids. Oh yes, they really like Americans!

Habitat Garden In The Hills: How to protect against wildfires, encouarge wildlife and display the owners collection of cacti and succulents all on a meager water supply and a moderate budget?

 
There were so many challenges on this site in the foothills. When I first looked at this site it was extremely overgrown with native Oaks, Manzanita, Chamise and Poison Oak everywhere, especially in the trees. There was a small lawn planted on the slope and a bog below, that was it! We started by removing all of the Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum syn Rhus diversiloba) and Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) which is incredibly flammable. We thinned the Oaks (Quercus wizlizenii and Quercus kelloggii) and pruned the lower branches up to prevent a fire ladder, whereby a wildfire jumps from the ground into the tree canopy. We had to remove the mature Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita), because a low elevation snow storm knocked them all over!

 

Next, we brought in grading equipment and reworked the slope and created a small upper terrace near the residence and a larger middle terrace for the informal patio, seating area and bog. As there were many existing ground birds on this site (California Quail, Brown Thrasher, Wild Turkey, to name a few) we wanted to create areas for cover without adding fuel for a fire. We also wanted to create patio spaces that were wildlife friendly and absorbed winter rain and run-off.  Natural stone pavers and wall rock from the site combined with 6" of compacted crushed gravel worked well for the patios and walkways. Birds love rooting around in it for food, leaves never feel out of place, the plantings can intrude into it, it's inexpensive and it makes a wonderful sound when walking on it!

 

We added the Trident Maple (Acer buergeranum) grove, a fast growing small tree, to blend with the existing Black Oaks (Quercus kelloggii) and provide more fall color. The  rustic teak benches and columnar fountains were added to blend with other structures we built. These fountains are great for wildlife as birds love to bathe in the security of the upper bowls, hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to water running down the sides. Berkeley Sedge (Carex divulsa syn. Carex tumulicola) was used around the edges of the expanded bog. This is a wonderful evergreen Sedge grass that tolerates boggy conditions to semi-drought conditions. It grows in full sun to part shade. Though it is not as colorful as Bronze Sedge (Carex comans 'Bronze') or Orange Sedge (Carex testacea), in my experience it is more reliable.

 

The owners had an extensive collection of cacti, succulents and exotics that needed a permanent home.  We did the research and decided to build a glass greenhouse. It is 25' X 25' with a 12' ceiling beam. We installed a gas line for the heaters, electrical for the lights, automatic vents and fans and water for irrigation. Since the greenhouse was primarily for desert plants a misting system was not needed but a seasonal shade cloth was supplied for the hottest time of the year. The greenhouse sits on a Splitface cinder block foundation wall and has a redwood and hardware cloth bench system around the perimeter for the thousands of plants inside. We used crushed gravel under the benches and slate for the walkways with a large in-ground planting area in the center for the very large specimen cacti and Coral Tree. Researching and building this greenhouse was a treat!

 

We used many of the cold hardy cacti, succulents and exotics in the ground and in containers. The Mexican Blue Palm (Brahea armata) is the centerpiece to this planting. It is a slow growing cold hardy palm native to the desert of Northern Baja California. It needs good drainage and is planted up on a mound and will be quite stunning when mature. In addition cacti, Euphorbias, succulents and very tough perennials were used. There is no irrigation in this bed.

 

In this view of the greenhouse the summer shade cloth is visible as is the potting bench with a sink against the greenhouse. The informality of the gravel walkway blends well with the native Oaks and the other plantings. Agaves, Aloes, cacti, succulents, Salvias, grasses and low water use perennials were used. No irrigation system was installed. The generous use of bark mulch, 4"- 6" thick, keeps weeds under control, improves the soil and keeps the soil moist for as long as possible. This is an area of fairly high rainfall, over 30" annually, and has a clay soil that holds moisture for a long period. Making sure that plants don't rot in the winter from too much moisture requires good planting and grading techniques.

 

Silver Germander (Teucrium cossonii majoricum) is the beautiful lavender flowered prostrate groundcover along the walkway. It blooms for months in the dry season with no irrigation. Trichocereus  and Opuntia cacti, Agave, Euphorbia and Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima syn. Stipa tenuissima) are all in this photograph. Mexican Feather Grass is a wonderful billowy grass that changes color season to season but should not be used in a highly irrigated landscape as it will quickly become a pest, sprouting everywhere and may have potential to be an escaped exotic. In the background the heart-shaped foliage of Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) native to the site is visible. This is a beautiful native shrub/small tree that should be used more often in the landscape.

 

In this view of the garden through the "entrance" structure the upper terrace is the focus. large "lawn" pads of exposed aggregate concrete were used to blend with the crushed gravel.Instead of grass surrounding them we used a variety of tough plants in this partially shaded area; Strawberry Geranium (Saxifraga stolonifera),Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis), Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica 'Compacta Nana'), Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria spp.), Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaraia), Creeping Lilyturf (Liriope spicata) and Stonecrop (Sedum album) between the stepping stones. Sedum album can be invasive, but when it gets no irrigation it is much easier to control and take advantage of its toughness. The "entrance" structure columns are from the same manufacturer as the fountains and was designed to have a heavy, rustic feel to it. Notice the low-voltage lights on the structure to light the walkways at night. There is extensive lighting throughout this project, we love lighting!

 

Speaking of lighting, there is a can light suspended from the branch of the Black Oak in the foreground. There are more higher up that create a "moonlight" effect through the tree branches. The rope hanging here is from a bird feeder that broke recently, oops! But one way to encourage birds is with feeders and then to back off as plant material grows in. There were numerous Woodpeckers, Flickers, Nuthatches, Creepers, Towhees and other birds on this site and they all came back and made new homes. The owners also mounted nesting structures throughout the property. In the foreground are some other tough plants; Creeping Raspberry (Rubus calcyinoides 'Emerald Carpet'), Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata), Spring Snowflake (leucojum vernum) and Houttuynia (Houttuynia cordata 'Varieagta') which recieve little or no irrigation. Houttuynia can be invasive and thrives in wet soil, so to control it, either contain it or don't irrigate it.

 

The bog was a perennially wet area that we enlarged and lined with a heavy gauge plastic liner. We planted water loving species in this area and they flourished. In the bog we planted Canna Lily (Canna 'Tropicana'), Japanese Iris (Iris ensata 'Variegata') and Zebra Rush (Scirpus zebrinus) and others and they very quickly created areas that attracted a variety of birds, Dragonflies, Butterflies, toads, frogs, skinks, small garden snakes, raccoons, opossums and of course, squirrels. The bog needs yearly maintenance to remove dead foliage, but the show of wildlife is worth the effort.  

 

Though the hardscape is fairly structured in this design, we wanted to create informality in the plantings, to blur the edges. The owners desired this, the existing trees and topography suggested it and their collection of container plants almost required it. Being sensitive to the existing plant life and wildlife was an interesting challenge.

 

Many of the cacti and succulents were cold hardy and some were planted in the ground, many were kept outside the greenhouse year-round in containers and some were moved inside when it was very wet. We did not want to create a desert garden as this would not have blended with the Oak trees, so we used them as accents and the worked well for this. They require very little irrigation and little maintenance, and no one bothered them!

 
There was a natural drainage into the bog area from the slope above and we developed this with boulders from the site and extensive shade plantings. This area was irrigated and contributed to the bog during the summer months. This garden is a garden of textural contrasts and even out of bloom has lots of visual interest.

 

 

 

Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk, Chiang Mai, Thailand

The Royal Flora Ratchapreuk Garden in Chiangmai, Thailand is an amazing collection of gardens. It opened for a flower festival in November 2006, so it is very new. It is named for the Ratchapreuk Tree, Cassia fistula, also known as The Golden Shower Tree. This is the national tree and flower of Thailand. This park is very large and as I wandered through it, I came to feel as if I was wandering through a horticultural zoo. The zoo like quality was exemplified by the many gardens that were built within it to showcase different garden styles from around the world. I spent the better part of a day here and still felt like I was rushing through it. This is a place to return to again and again, to see it grow and change and to notice what was not noticed before.
The Royal Pavilion is the focal point in this photograph. The axial lines created by the paving, plantings and ornamentation clearly draw your eye and attention to it. I was surprised by how formal the plantings were and how much topiary was used. The mountains create the backdrop for all of this visual drama and are themselves topped by Wat Phrathat Doi Kham, a place of Buddhist worship for over 1300 years.

 
In this photograph taken from Wat Phrathat Doi Kham, which was a fun bicycle adventure, the central axial lines leading to the Royal Pavilion are clearly visible. Again the formality of the plantings stands out, and from this height the plantings in the oval have the feel of a formal  Parterre garden. This is the Homage Garden, and it is filled with symbolic sculptures.

 
In this photo, also from Doi Kham, the scale of the gardens is revealed. In the center of the photo, the road leading into the complex is visible, running at a different angle to the central axis line of the Royal Pavilion. I did not have time to explore the entirety of the gardens and some areas were closed. The buildings in the left foreground were part of the maintenance facilities and I believe the buildings in the right foreground were growing grounds. The gardens cover almost 200 acres. Doi Kham, while not one of the highest mountains around Chiang Mai, is a must see. It has a long history and it's seated Buddha is amazing. The fast descent on a bicycle is the pay-off for the climb up!

 
This photograph is looking from the centrally located "hill" back towards the entrance. This "hill"  with a road circling it disguises the transition from one central axis line to another. The formal layout and use of topiary creates a very grand entrance. The patterns created by the low hedges along the entrance appear to spell something, but from this angle I found it impossible to discern the meaning in Thai or English.

 
This view is looking towards the main visitors entrance from the "hill". The Royal Pavilion is visible in the mid-ground and Wat Phrathat Doi Khamis on top of the peak in the background. The sculpture in the foreground is a stylized Umbrella representing the development of Thailand under the King. I'm not sure about the purpose of the large paved area in the foreground. I'm guessing that it was used for the initial International Garden Expo in 2006-2007. It was empty the day I was there.

 
In this view of the main garden the Royal Pavilion is in the mid-ground and Doi Kham is the mountain in the background. The head of the seated Buddha is visible on top of the mountain. I am standing in the middle of the Homage Garden and there is much going on in this garden. There are vertical accents everywhere, all representing various aspects of Thai culture. However, it still feels like everything is being directed towards the Royal Pavilion and the mountain beyond. Notice the beautiful cast bronze Bodi Tree With Leaves sculpture in the mid-ground. I'm going there next.

 
This is under the sculpture looking through the "leaves" hanging from it. I loved the feel of looking through this curtain towards the pavilion, very surreal.

 
Close-up of a "leaf". It has what looks like a Wat, or temple on it, I'm not sure, there are many things in this garden that I wasn't sure about. I would love to tour this garden with a Thai person who understood all of the symbology.

 
This one I am sure about. This was so cool and it made me laugh as well. Talk about a bathroom with a view. One word to learn in Thai, hongnam, bathroom!

 
The Royal Pavilion is quite stunning. It features the Lanna style architecture of northern Thailand and seems to float over the surrounding landscape. This is a beautiful building with most of the exquisite ornamentation at the front entrance. The wood work was wonderful and I loved the attention to detail. Notice the cool color scheme, very different than the warm color scheme of a Thai temple.

 

 
This was definitely the place to have your picture taken if you were Thai. This was funny to watch as the Thai people politely lined up to have their pictures taken and to take the pictures of their friends and family, all with the same backdrop.

 
This walkway bridging the change in elevation change from the Royal Pavilion to the surrounding landscape was one of my favorite structures. Technically not balusters or a balustrade, but these large urns with stylized crowns? on them evoked the feel of a balustrade. I love the linear repetition of elements typical of Thai architecture and landscapes, you see this in the ruins of very early architecture in Thailand.

 
The landscape surrounding the Royal Pavilion was a mix of formal layout, carpet bedding and topiary. I think this is Thai lettering around the pond but I can't say for sure as I don't recognize the font! LOL! We are moving to the tower beckoning in the distance.

 
This tower wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was a high point with a view and I simply can't resist that anywhere I go. The juxtaposition of the conical conifers and this structure seems jarring in this photograph, but it was balanced by an equal size planting area opposite that was framing the Royal Pavilion.

 
The view from the tower was a great way to get a feel for the surrounding landscape. The Royal Pavilion is in left mid-ground. The covered amphitheatre below me was a surprise. I kept hearing jazz fusion music as I was walking around and it turned out to be a live band playing in the amphitheatre. Thailand is full of surprises and odd mixes of the new, not so new and the very old. This area in the view is the start of the gardens of the World section. Some 30 countries are represented in the gardens constructed in this area. This was my favorite part of the place and was the reason I described it as a garden with a zoo feel to it.

 
I've posted this picture before, but this is so unusual it needs to be done again in context. This garden was from Belgium and was absolutely startling. It resembles a cornucopia, one formed of bark and filled with Bromeliads. The floor of this structure is an undulating carpet constructed over some sort of frame work, reminiscent of clumping Zoysia grass or a Japanese Moss Garden, and the bark structure has the feel of a cave or grotto about it.

 
Continuation of the cave emerging from the earth, very wild idea!

 
Totally crazy Bromeliads, but what a way to use them. Is this sustainable design?

 
The walls are an amazing checkerboard of stacked rock and grass. I loved the contrast of color and texture and the "moat" really sets the whole thing off!

 
The steel structure of the wall is featured in the design rather than hidden. I love the paving pattern which has the feel of water moving through the patio, continuing the idea of a grotto. This design and installation is quite simply amazing!

 
This is the garden from the Kingdom Of Bhutan and it was such a contrast to the ultra contemporary feel of the garden from Belgium. The natural dry stack and mortar walls have an old world feel to them, like they have been here for a long time. The rough cut slate cap,the lintels over the wall openings, the coarsely carved ornamentation on the walls, combined with the slightly faded pastel colors all work extremely well together. The plantings are very simple, but they work well to lead you to the entrance.

 

The massive entrance with its roof, large doors and knocker is wonderful. I love that you can see the wood grain through the paint, again it feels like it has been here for centuries. The whole of the entrance has a mysterious, enchanting feel to it. What lies behind this wall?  Similar to the aura that surrounds the Kingdom of Bhutan, a country in the mountains of South Asia shrouded in mystery, famous for it's Happiness Quotient.

 
Behind the wall was a courtyard garden with trees around the perimeter, very simple plantings and paving material, gravel and these pavilions with a small water feature. The same material from the front walls was used, dry stack rock with mortar, nicely laid corners! But here the ornamentation of the windows and the roof is much more intricate than the front walls. Notice the seated Buddhas running around the walls and the other symbols that decorate the roof structure.

 
This is another pavilion within the courtyard. This one is more like a gazebo than the other pavilions and the woodwork and painting detail is exquisite. I love the 4-chamfer cuts at the end of the beams that are painted different colors, this adds dimension and depth to the wood working. This can also be created just by painting alone. The detailing in the roof structure reminds me of Talavera Tile from Mexico. The walls surrounded this entire garden, the plantings in the background are from the next garden.

 
This is the front of the garden from Kenya. This garden was the opposite of the last garden. Here the wow factor is the contrast between textures and colors of the plant material. The bold texture of the Travellers Palm( Ravanella madagascarensis) towering over the Yucca aloifolia 'Variegata' and Agave angustifolia 'Marginata' clustered amongst the boulders stops you in your tracks.

 
Another photo of the plantings along the front of the garden. The effect is of an informal wall. The plantings are so bold that they stop your eye from moving beyond into the interior of the garden. You don't immediately notice the buildings behind the plantings.

 
This is the entrance to the Kenya garden, it's really quite subdued compared to the plantings that led up to this point. Very plain materials are used, the most striking element is the brightly robed statues. I did  like the simple thatched roof house, but the interior of this garden wasn't that interesting to me, YMMV!

 
The collection of gardens within the grounds goes on and on. I stumbled upon this garden by just following an unmarked path, no entrance of any kind. The paving material is what caught my eye and as I followed it I came upon this structure in the middle of what felt like a rain-forest. It looks like a very old jungle house, complete with wood for cooking. I really liked the natural feel of this whole garden, as if I really was out in the wilderness. In this setting I wouldn't be surprised to see an Elephant rambling by. What gives away it's origin is the Thai National Flag hanging under the roof.

 

 
These two photographs are of the paving material in the "jungle" garden. Very clever use of leaf imprints in concrete to create this. Of course it helps if you live where there are lots of tropical plants to chose from. Something about this garden reminded me of Disneyland, or perhaps it was the opposite.

 

I loved the simple elegance of this pavilion, water feature, patio and sculpture beyond. The pond was more like a reflecting pool this day. Normally this would be a fountain with jets of water shooting into the bowl in the middle with water coming from it as well. It seems no matter where you go in the world, water features are not always functioning! This garden from Turkey was all about the view of the sculpture in the background and water, or the illusion of water,  directed your eye towards it.

 

I loved the curves in this "stream" leading to a conclusion or perhaps a question? The sensuality in this garden is wonderful, the subtle interplay of the shadows from the pavilion, the sun, or is it the moon behind the couple, all of it works together quite well. Though I really like the cut through the patio, this garden would need to have lights at night ...to keep people from falling into it and spoiling the mood!

 
This pavilion in the Indonesian garden is a simple design, but it works well with the variety in the tropical plantings surrounding it. The small Plumeria tree in the foreground reminds me that a plant that I would really struggle with here in the San Francisco Bay Area grows anywhere in Thailand...sigh

 
The pebbles turned on edge in this patio hardscape in the Spanish garden are amazing. The checkerboard look achieved by turning the pebbles at opposite angles is clever. I would love to be able to do something like this for a client, but I can't imagine what it would cost! Access to inexpensive labor makes many things possible in Thailand that would be hard to replicate here. Though I never saw anything like this in Spain, maybe the designer was inspired by Thailand.

 

This garden is from Vietnam and I loved the patio, planted containers and the sculptural water feature. Unfortunately there is a problem with the water feature, it's falling apart! But the ideas are great, they just need better materials or execution.

 

This screen in the garden from India caught my eye. It felt like it was constructed from resin, but I liked the intricacy of the panels. It reminded me of some of the architectural detailing I saw in door and window panels in southern Portugal, influenced by the Islamic architecture of the Iberian Peninsula. 

 
This pavilion in the garden from China was beautiful. I particularly liked the roof lines and materials. But what I found most striking were the curving lines of the patio leading to the entrance. The use of two contrasting colors and disimilar materials really accentuates the curves in the patio. There is so much more to see and explore here, time to plan for another tour of Thailand!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bromeliads. No specific Bromeliad here, just an incredible example of the versatility of this plant family. This family includes both epiphytes and terrestrial species. This is a continuation of yesterdays post at the Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk Gardens in Chiangmai, Thailand. Many species of Bromeliad can be grown in Bay Area gardens and I will be featuring them in later posts.

Zoysia Sp., Zoysia Grass. This is one of the species from Southeast Asia, not the common Zoysia japonica. In this garden in the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Gardens in Chiangmai Thailand it is being used to create a rolling floor for the living sculpture emerging from it. It's natural mounding habit is taken to the extreme in this garden. A framework was filled with soil to create this astounding visual effect. It is a slow growing grass, so it doesn't need to be cut often, but maintaining this must be a nightmare! Good thing labor is cheap in Thailand.

Nymphaea Cv. Tropical Water Lily. This Maybe the Cultivar 'Tina'. I'm not sure because there is so much color variation and the monks at this temple (Wat) in Chiangmai, Thailand had no idea, lol. But this photo is true to the color. This or other Day blooming water lilies would be outstanding to use in a small informal pond in a Tropical garden, Asian garden or a formal pond in a Patio or Courtyard garden. These will need special over-wintering care in many parts of the bay area, but they are worth the trouble.

Ravenala madagascariensis, Traveller's Palm. Native to Madagascar. Related to Bird-of-Paradise.These incredible specimens are in the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Garden in Chiang Mai Thailand. I have seen these in sunny, wind protected locations in the warmest winter parts of the Bay Area, as well as many places in Socal, South Florida and Hawaii, and they are eye catching, but they are almost always wind tattered. These are grown in a climate that is almost always hot and seldom windy. These would be great in a Topical Garden or in containers that you protected in the winter or moved inside.