Fun day and I say cool too many times.

In the front garden,  I have some spots that need filling in.  Typical for this time of year.  I perused around Livermore & Pleasanton and just wasn't finding anything fun.  My next thought was to take a jaunt out to Curious Flora, formerly Annie's Annuals in Richmond.  I texted Sophia to see if she wanted to be my partner in crime for the day. Lucky for me, she was free! I got to Berkeley at 11, we both quickly decided one plant stop, then LUNCH.  FlowerLand it is, good lunch choices around there.  Lo and behold, it was STOCKED with Curious Flora offerings.  And they were unloading a huge truck of succulents as well.  The store looked fabulous,  fresh ginger rock pathways and packed with wonderful plants.

I couldn't resist grabbing a Papver hybrid, sugar plum poppy. Even tho it's a one and done, I love the fluffy bloom.  

Sophia spotted this Anigozanthos, kangaroo paw from Waltzing Matilija. The most vivid coloring I'd seen on one before.  

Sweet carnivorous plants.

Inside to checkout, I was looking for the resident cat.

We walked down the street to Bowl'd, a Korean restaurant. Sophia had the fish roe bowl.  Piping hot, you stir the raw egg yolk in and it gets "cooked".

I went with the sizzling Bibimbap.  Tofu, crispy brown rice with loads of veg.  Loved the radish, kimchi and all the add-ins. Delicious!

Our next stop was Berkeley Horticulture, where I failed to take any pictures.  I couldn't resist this cool plant stand.  The medium stand was priced the same as the small, who am I to question their pricing?  Dr. Feelgood took an immediate liking to it. 

Then back to Sophia's apartment to pick up Ivan for a trek out to their friend's garden.  I have to show off some of S&I's  beauties.  Ivan is really into Neotropical blueberries, and his (and her) plant knowledge is incredibly impressive.  S will chime in with the i.d., I couldn't keep up.  Look at that leaf shape!  

We took it out to the patio for better lighting, I don't think I quite captured the uniqueness. Flowers.

Pretty dang cool. They are also quite orchid savvy.  

Their patio area, rocks & plants! 

Cyathea medullaris, black tree fern. 

A Brunsvigia namaquana, I'd never seen one.

As Ivan described, like a cat's tongue.

Back inside, a terrarium cabinet.

Oh mama, look at that!

It's all so cool.  When people say to me young people aren't interested in plants, I whole heartedly disagree. At their age I was plopping sunflower seeds in the front of my apartment. 

This is a whole 'nother level!

And I'll share a couple pics of their friend's garden - because it was also insanely cool.  They had some plants stashed for me to pick up. Up in the hills, I knew I was in for a treat as soon as we parked.

We walked down the driveway to the house. 

This was the biggest mangave I'd ever seen.  HUGE. They recently had some hail there, so there was spotty damage. 

Once you got down to the house, you could look up at this slope filled with plants & boulders. So private!

Obvious that a plant lover resides here.

Around the corner, where it felt more foresty. 

Cool Anthurium out on the patio.

I can't remember the I.D., I saw so many gorgeous things - but he did say this was from Mexico. It was perfectly perfect.

Hanging arrangements everywhere, the photo is lying - this was at least 2.5' wide.  

Further down the hill was a work in progress, but he had dug a pond!  And on to grabbing up a few of the things they had set aside for me.  My car at the end of the day, haha.  I'm thrilled about 2 Liparia splendens, mountain dahlia - which are in WAY better condition than the ones I'm currently barely keeping alive.  A Hakea petiolaris, and a gift of a Eucalyptus. It was a stellar day full of amazing sights & good laughs!  

And a future project.  They will bring one of these monsters to me in Livermore, Furcraea macdougalii.

Sorry for the extra long post, I didn't want to chop up the day.  Thanks for sticking around if you made it to the end 😀