Grevilleas in the Berkeley Hills.

Hi, Medit-Planters-

I've been growing Australians and South African plants on my  S-W 
facing down slope
in Kensington, Sunset 16/17.  All plants (except succulents) receive 
adaptive watering
when planted (usually early summer) and after a few weeks are on their own.

While my garden went down to 19F when David's was 25F in 1990 we 
don't freeze every year.  UC Bot was down to 16F and Strying 17F the 
night we were 19F.  I find Brett
Hall's list bizarre because I have lost 'Robyn Gordon' three times 
during mild frosts;
G. 'Long John' my favorite died at 22F.  And darn it I fell in love 
with G. victoriae and
have three clones with distinctly different foliage form and can get 
none of them to
bloom while friends in the SF fog belt get profuse bloom.

I have lost Leucodendron argenteum four times to temps. c. 25F  but 
am growing and
blooming 4 different banksias now.  My golden-orange ericifolia(?) is 
in full bloom
right now.  'Ruby Clusters', a marvelous hybrid blooms 365 days a 
year but I have
consistently lost 'Gaudi-Chaudii.'  I've forgotten the background of 
'Constance' and
'Noel' but they are bone hardy here and in constant bloom.  My prostrate 'Pink
Pearl' was planted in the wrong place and I will try it again.

I grow a number of proteas and have bloomed The King and longifolia 
and neriifolia.
I grow the leucodendrons of which one clone is 'Safari Sunset' with 
ease and tremendous
display but have failed to keep a pincushin alive.  And in a really 
dark spot in the
dry garden I have a G, ? the most southern, from Flinder's Rock which 
is growing
like a weed in the dark dry shadow of a Cheiranthodendron 
pentadactylon which was a gift from Cal Hort and has made it through 
every frost and freeze recovering quickly.

I find these proteaceous plants fascinating and try any that strike 
my fancy.  The worst
that can happen is that they die---and if they're beautiful enough I 
try them again.

Cheers-here's to dirt under your nails and split fingers
Michael D. Barclay
opga@wenet.net
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