Echeverias in Mexican Gardens
- Subject: Echeverias in Mexican Gardens
- From: p*@att.net
- Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 20:07:57 +0000
Dear All,
Echeverias are one of those plants of higher elevations
in tropical regions that thrive in California'a coastal,
cool mediterranean climate. I have been researching
their use in gardens, and have come across, in Eric
Walther's big book on the genus, descriptions of their
use in Mexican gardens. He says that they are (or were
in the 1950's or earlier) common in public gardens,
often planted in the shape of a turtle. I have not
travelled much in Mexico, and wondered if any members
have seen Echeverias used in gardens there, public or
private, informally or formally arranged (maybe in the
shape of a turtle). Walther hypothesized that the turtle
shapes had some traditional symbolic meaning, but he
didn't say on what he was basing that guess.
In addition to past observations, if anyone is
travelling there this year, I would love to hear new
observations on this subject.
I have been trying to find a Mexican horticulturist or
botanist to ask this and a couple of other Echeveria
questions, but so far, no luck. If anyone has a contact
there, I would love to talk to them as well.
Pam Peirce
