Re: Embothrium

Elly,

The Embothrium  at Harland's garden would probably not
attract much attention when it is out of bloom, as it
is not particularly showy then.  It is located at the
top of the garden, just below the house, and you pass
it in the middle of the garden as you start to descend
from the house.  The tree blooms in late spring/early
summer, with scarlet bloom.

Regarding information on gardens in the San Francisco
Bay Area open for the Garden Conservancy Tours, they
can be accessed by buying the Open Days Directory,
which lists gardens throughout the country, by calling
them to order at 1-914-265-2069, address: The Garden
Conservancy, P.O. Box 219, Cold Spring, NY 10516.

As to visiting Harland Hand's garden, it sounds like
you will need to contact Marjorie Harris, the new
owner.  I assume that it will be open again on the
next East Bay Area date of early June, 2001, I think
it will either be June 3rd or 4th.  
Strybing Arboretum's book store sells the guide, and
an announcement is published that is also made
available at many garden centers locally.  I know I
had seen copies at The Dry Garden Nursery in Oakland,
which is worth a visit also if you are in the area. 
Richard Ward's nursery is located at 6556 Shattuck
Ave.  Marcia Donahue's garden and art gallery is also 
open to the public every Sunday afternoon, and is also
located very near to the Dry Garden, at 3017 Wheeler
St., Berkeley.



- William Bade <bade@math.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> Hi David,
> Thanks for describing a tree I should know. I've
> been to Harland's
> garden several times, and should have seen it. There
> is so much there to
> see, and I must have been there when it wasn't in
> bloom. My garden is
> shadier than his, but similar in that it slopes (not
> quite as steeply)
> and is more shaded.
>  The good news is that Margery Harris, a lawyer who
> lived in San Francisco and who asked Harland to
> design her garden there,
> has bought Harland's house. She and Harland's sister
> are devoted to pre-
> serving it, and keeping it open for the public.
> Margery moved into the
> house this month, and has help in garden upkeep. The
> two of them also
> hope to get Harland's book published. He had nearly
> finished it when he
> died.
> Thanks to everyone who have written about
> Embothrium, with encouragement.
> Elly Bade
> 
> On Fri, 6 Oct 2000, david feix wrote:
> 
> > Regarding Embothrium, it can be grown in the San
> > Francisco Bay Area, although it is quite rare
> here. 
> > There is a a very beautiful specimen growing in
> > Harland Hand's garden in El Cerrito, which blooms
> > reliably every year, and has even set seed.  The
> small
> > tree is about 15 feet tall.  This garden is in the
> fog
> > belt of the east bay hills, and gets alot more
> > humidity and fog drip as a result, and is
> considerably
> > more moist than down in the flatlands of Berkeley
> > where I garden.  Harland had amended the whole
> garden
> > with a local product called supersoil, and the
> garden
> > receives overhead spray irrigation every 3 to 4
> days
> > in the dry months.
> > The garden is well worth a visit, and is open to
> the
> > general public during the Garden Conservancy Tour
> > dates for the Bay Area, as recently as last
> weekend...
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > - Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> > > William Bade wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > I haven't taken part in this discussion yet,
> but
> > > would like to add that
> > > > there were laburnums in Danish gardens when we
> > > lived there. We were
> > > > cautioned that they were poisonous, and that I
> > > should watch my children
> > > > when they played in the garden.
> > > > I have always wondered about the soil they
> need,
> > > as well as the climate.
> > > > I was told that there was no place in Denmark
> > > further than 40 miles from
> > > > the water, and we did have moist air and a
> lovely
> > > light which I felt was
> > > > reflection from the water (Bornholm had it
> > > especially). In some places
> > > > the soil was chalky, a vein that ran from the
> > > island of Mon across Denmark
> > > > to the Dover Cliffs. Is this why they are more
> > > successful there?
> > > > To add another element. I have been told that
> > > Embothrium is not success-
> > > > fully grown in the San Francisco Bay Area
> because
> > > it needs moist air too.
> > > > Could this be the reason?
> > > 
> > >  Elly 
> > > Although it doesn't actually NEED a limy soil
> > > Laburnum, being a legume
> > > would certainly enjoy it and I am equally sure
> it
> > > would prefer a cool,
> > > moist climate like Britain or Denmark to the hot
> > > part of California.
> > > 
> > > Embothrium also, as you suggest, likes a moist
> cool
> > > climate, or at the
> > > least a cool root run, but it can't abide lime.
> > > 
> > > Moira
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
> > > Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of
> New
> > > Zealand)
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > __________________________________________________
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> > Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15
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> > 
> > 
> 


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