Tuesday, February 4, 2014

A visit to The Garden Gallery in Morro Bay

We traveled south this past week to visit family living in Los Osos, California. My indulgent sister-in-law knows my addiction to gardening and always comes up with great new places to show me, like The Garden Gallery, an enduring presence in the Morro Bay garden scene.

Succulents of all kinds were the mainstay of their plant selection.



The power of repetition is clearly demonstrated this display of delectable Aeonium tabuliforme. I still can't figure out how I came home without one.
Terra cotta pots seem fresh and new as they are used here almost exclusively.
The satisfying contrast of green against terra cotta red is a classic combination.

Whimsical concrete forms added fun to the mix.

Stone-covered pots were planted up, and made into fountains.

The perfect modern fireplace was surrounded by purple-leaved begonias.
Nearby, a particularly colorful Ficus elastica called my name. This one might be "Strawberries and Cream'.

Of course there were Tillandsias, artfully displayed.
 And gorgeous Agave attenuata.
Along with a grandaddy Aloe marlothii.

We loved the silver spheres dangling on cords amongst the cacti.
And the serene Buddah heads.

But I kept coming back to the supply of terra cotta pots. Now I was seeing this material in a whole new way.

It's so simple, and yet such a perfect foil for so many plants.

Thank you, Garden Gallery - and Susan - for showing me the beauty of succulents in terra cotta.

15 comments:

  1. That fence/slat wall is just great! And reproducible at home!

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    1. Absolutely. The displays were straightforward yet well designed.

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  2. And thank you, Jane, for reinforcing my love of terra cotta. These folks have a flair for display and you;re right: they cast this humble material in a whole new light. The huge stone-covered pots are pretty terrific too. We should send you on these trips more often.

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    1. Ricki, I saw those stone-covered pots at the Bamboo Craftsman last year. Maybe they are still there!

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  3. Thanks for the nursery tour. That fence caught my eye too. Really cool.

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  4. What a great place! I wonder what those succulents are in the first shot with the "flat top" and the yellow flower?

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    1. I didn't see the name, Deb. They seem like a Lithops relative, but when I searched I didn't see any Lithops that were similar.

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  5. I love terra cotta pots too. What a sweet sister-in-law you have, to show you around such cool places. I love the Tillandsia in the overturned teacup!

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  6. Not a single Aeonium tabuliforme? Jane! What were you thinking?

    Terra cotta pots are fabulous, I used to dress them up by painting the upper edge with shades of chartreuse. Then I had to go and start collecting brightly colored glazed pots. It's a shame because must succulents are so much happier in terra cotta, well as long as they don't freeze and crack in the cold.

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    1. I know, Loree. That poor decision WILL be rectified.

      Don't tell, but I did buy a brightly colored glazed pot from Garden Gallery. I'm shameless.

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  7. Nothing came home with you? Oh Jane, are you feeling well? Plants do look great in terra cotta, that's for sure!

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  8. Nice fountains and Buddha heads!

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  9. I love the elephants. They look like lanterns I think? Would be neat to light them. Have you been to Grow in Cambria? They have a more interesting selection of succulents.

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