Saturday we went to Oceanside for the opening of Painting World War II: The California Style Watercolor Artists. Today, Monday, we came to Beverly Hills for my husband’s follow-up appointments at Cedars Sinai (for his carcinoid, a neuroendocrine cancer). Sunday was the day in the middle.
We started by going to the Flower Fields in Carlsbad.
Armstrong Nurseries grows ranunculus here and when they are in full bloom they open the fields to the public – for a charge. It’s like a pumpkin patch but with ranunculus instead of pumpkins.
In May I guess they let the flowers die down and they harvest the tubers. It’s an interesting enough deal if artificial. The flowers are beautiful.
After eating lunch at Norte in Carlsbad,
we headed to the San Diego Botanical Gardens.
These were really cool. Since we are going to be redoing the yard in our new house, we were interested in looking at plants. We have several goals, or requirements:
- no lawn
- easy to maintain
- drought tolerant
- plenty of patio
- an orange tree
- a variety of color and foliage types
We like cacti so were particularly interested in those gardens. Here are some interesting plants. Or photos.
Yes it’s me. Not that I’m particularly interesting, but I’m sitting in a cork tree. Thinking of Ferdinand the Bull, one of my favorites from childhood. I love how Ferdinand didn’t want to fight, but just sit under the cork tree and smell the flowers.
This isnt’ a plant, true. It’s a lizard. But I like how he’s intently reading the sign.
This is a Dragon Tree. Wow, do you think I can get one of these in my yard? Love this.
Now we do want some Queen Palms but no date palms. However, I loved the way these looked – Rapunzul, Rapunzul, let down your hair.
I didn’t take a picture of the sign on this plant because of course I was going to remember what it was. Hmmm.
This is a bunch of bananas waiting to break out. I promise it’s not Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors. Feed me.
We were confused here because it looked like the sign said this plant was dormant. It looks pretty alive to me.
Finally, the most beautiful bamboo I’ve ever seen. We know better than to plant bamboo, however.
Fun day which we finished with a two martini night. We drove to Del Mar and had a basil martini (Opalescence) at L’Auberge, then dinner at Pacifico where I had a wonderful ginger martini. Mmmmm lucky I wasn’t driving. Can’t take too many two-martini nights. I’d like to, though!
Tags: Carlsbad CA, Flower Fields, martinis, Photography, plants, ranunculus, San Diego Botanic Gardens
