Ökenliv (Desert Life 2012 - Part VI ) The Cactus House

Stepping back into the Desert Life Cactus House for a Moment.

The immediate door inside to the left takes you first into a world of humid tropics with all manner of misting equipment, Koi Pond and chirping tropical frogs someone let loose in there years ago. Immediately to the left of that large room was the Desert Life educational center for teaching the average visitor (I presume Swedes mostly) about real Desert Life and uses of various desert plants by the indigenous peoples there. Here are some pics of that room.

Alot of nice colour schemes to match the theme

Large Global map of all desert regions around the globe. On both sides of the global map with to the left various basketry made from the long slender grass leaves of desert plants and to the right much of the desert foods which come from the plants. One very popular was the Prickly Pear Cactus Pad or Beaver tail looking cactus Hispanics call Nopal or Nopales. I love Nopal & the Tunas or red fruits, but most Anglos have never tried them. The wild collected are the best and most flavourful. Mesquite bean pods shown being ground into a flour meal.

Now directly behind me taking this picture of the map was a large TV wide Screen showing a almost 9 minute videos on various plant food preparation. It was silly to take a shot of the screen as there was so much glare, but I did manage to find on YouTube the actually "Desert Life 2012" video that played over and over.

Finally entering the Cactus house and finding many familar faces.

I'd love a less cluttered gardener's Arizona Room to sit in here and enjoy.

Canary Islands Display. These were definitely familar plants to me. On the south facing slopes of the volcanic island of Tenerfie, the region is mostly subtropical desert and these plants thrive in great abunadnce there everywhere you look. Not many people realize that many of their favourite succulants come from these islands. Sadly three of the islands, La Gomera, La Palma and Tenerife are experiencing some of the worst fires in a long time. Certainly a devastating thing considering those islands only have so much room for natural vegetation.

North American Cactus and Agave examples. In fact they have several sections dedicated to North America.

Leave me alone !!!

There are alot of examples of tiny petite cactus, the type you see in novalty stores or Nurseries that create pottery displays. There are numerous examples here as the picture to the right reveals. But sadly when people in the southwest are out exploring and stumble upon one of these beautiful examples, they want to dig it up and take it home. I can understand since where ever I go I am always wanting to collect some sort of speciman seeds of things that look kool to me. But unfortunatelt many of these native Cacti are becoming extinct in many areas where they were once common. Please resist the temptation to collect. go to any of those plant Nurseries and buy some small cute speciman examples raised in Greenhouse Cactus Nurseries. They almost all look alike anyway and usually only the experts can tell them apart.

Well known yellow spined Mexican Barrel Cactus you often see in the Nurseries of the southwest and urban landscapes

Another example of Agave. I'm wondering if there isn't an agave somewhere that would take the outdoors in the right location here. When we came back from Dänemark back in June, we saw a median in the double laned highway through the city of Fredrikshaven that had rather large Blue Agaves. I don't think they were uprooted and stored anywhere and I doubt they cover them. Some agaves are tough and do live where frigid temps and bitter cold are prevalent in the west. Some even grow high up in pine forests on those Sky-Islands as they are called.

I am revealing this shot not show much to display the Beaver tail patterned cactus in the center, but look back at the red coloured wall. Notice on the very left end of that wall at the lower left you see a glass enclosure ? This is the only shot of the cage containing a speckled rattlesnake. When I was up close there was too much Sun glaring off it's surface for an accurate photograph.

Peyote Buttons

I met a young man who works the Tropical & Desert Green Houses and he took me into the back private collection area away from Public access where he showed me a number of plants not on display. Some of the plants can no longer be displayed as some people specifically look for plants with narcotic abilities like the Peyote above. In fact they had these examples in the Rattlesnake cage because theft was common in the outer display area. 

photo by Cocagrowers.org

Another plant not allowed in the public area anymore is the Coca plant from which cocain is derived. Several visitors ARE completely aware of the plants narcotic uses and steal once again the leaf parts of the plant for their personal use. So now they keep it in the back room locked up.

Old Archaic Green House belongs on a Farm.

One last though before living the hot houses and their treasures. This older green house that I had on another post dealing with landscape boulders, stones and other rocks is old and outdated. It belongs on the back of the property somewhere for production purposes only. I would hope one dau they could change all that and create a more eye pleasing and inviting esthetic structure which would add to the beauty of what they have done on the outside for which I heap massive amounts of compliments for their efforts. Of course this takes money and in this ideological Socialist culture obsessed with taxing and feeing everything or everyone to death (sales tax here 25%), it's an even greater Mount Everest-like challenge. Still in the end this is just my opinion. The other area for revenue creation and expansion would be making an even bigger Retail Sales Nursery as I believe the public would support it tremendously. It works for other such Parks around the world, Palm Desert Living Desert Museum as a first rate example. As it stands, they have a voluntary pay system for gaining entrance into the Gardens and most if you observe never contribute. There is no guard at the gate, just a simple old turnstyle. Same with the Green House in the above photo. They have a ticketing machine where entrance fee is 17 Kronor but many walk past and don't pay and they have no attendant to police it. 

More later dealing with the flowers and abundant insects which are everywhere here.

Enjoy














BBB

Ökenliv (Desert Life 2012) Cactus & Succulent Art

A large part of the Desert Life theme this year was the creative way of incorporating Cactus and Succulents into various art forms. Take a look at the photo gallery of Arts & Crafts from this year's show.

photo: Mine

Desert Chair art with Barrel Cactus as the foot stool, hanging pictures in the background consisting of various succulents and a Lamp created by an upside down cactus plant in it's Nursery Container. You definitely 
don't want to sit in this chair.

Looks almost like a very old chair you'd see in your Grand Father and Mother's house.

Close up shot of Cactus Lamp

I have to say here on many of the varieties of Succulents used above, that I have these very same plants in the cracks and crevices of my backyard in that mass of Granite Bedrock and they survive the nasty winters here. I suppose or imagine they would fry in the Deserts southwest though. Go figure!

photo Mine

I would imagine this is something like a morning breakfast scene.

photo: Mine

Examples of decorative pieces that could be utilized as accents to walkways or decks

This of course was the front entrance to the interior greenhouses where frost tender cactus and succulents from around the world are perminantly housed. But I wanted to draw attention to the giant outdoor pots and the rock slate they incorporated as a decorative mulch. Below are some close up examples.

photo: Mine 

Charcoal coloured slate used as a decorative mulch

Photo: Mine

 No weeding problems here

Succulent arrow arrangement pointing towards Entrance

Photo: Mine

This is what greets you at the Greenhouse entrance.

photo: Mine

Examples of Succulent Picture Framed Wall Art

Here is a quick blow up gallery of the above art framed works which utilized old fish crates from the Fish Market. I've used old agricultural equipment parts as well in outdoor cactus arrangements. Clearly they could be incorporated on indoor themes also.

photo: Mine

All 4 of these above examples would be perfect for decorating an Arizona or California room which are nothing more than enclosed porches. At the very least these can stimulate interest and creativity utilizing house plants that don't require the regular maintenance of the common popular examples of indoor plant decor.

Photo: Mine

This whole room was loaded with Artwork examples before walking into the main Cactus House

Photo: Mine

These would make great artworks for the newly rebuilt and renovated Salome Cafe & Cactus Bar

Tomorrow more on the actually education on desert Life presented and Greenhouse itself .

Ökenliv (Desert Life 2012 Part IV) - Faux Desert Themes

Continuing along the theme of the boulder placements from yesterday's post, let's get into the right landscaping plants that not only accent and compliment the rock features, but let's recreate a Faux Desert Theme from Arizona, Anza Borrego or Baja California and transform that Temperate or Boreal forest environment into a Living Desert Oasis of sorts with it's illusion of warmth where such is uncommon.

Rock Outcroppings and Desert Plants. One interesting side note here on Plants and Rock outcroppings in the wild. Focusing on all plant communities in the southwestern United States (this is also applicable worldwide) where there are clearly drier habitats whether low desert, high desert, chaparral or any other type of dryland plant community, one thing they all share in common are larger more successful plant groupings where boulders are present. Now why is that ? Consider rocks and boulders as the perfect mulch. Mulch ? Yes mulch. They clearly cover the ground perfectly and permanently. The Sun's rays are unable to sap any moisture from underneath them other than evapotranspiration through plant foliage which is desirable. They also tend to concentrate rainfall totals. In areas where there is typically low average rainfall, even light showers flowing off of boulders and other rock features concentrate water within cracks and crevices giving a sort of micro-climate uniqueness to the plant community within the geologic feature. As an example if rainfall total is an inch or two, it becomes concentrated within this region giving more measurable rain as if anywhere from 3 to five inches. Instead of a thundershower spitting rain on parched earth only to runoff and to quickly evaporate from a mere couple inches of ground soaking, a boulder outcropping region may soak in several feet depending on the soil and organic matter built up over centuries. Let's take an illustration about contrasting landscapes here below.

Image - The Press Enterprise

I remember noticing such classic vegetation contrasts between boulder strewn areas and open bare country on frequent drives from the San Jacinto Valley on Highway 79 north to Beaumont California. The route taken on Highway 79 is called Lamb's Canyon. Here's the opening to the canyon route above from the valley that I'm referring to above. Google Earth the map and see what I mean as far as the lower canyon with coastal and interior low sage scrub and contrasting that with the boulder strewn upper hills of the canyon where large chaparral specimens like Hollyleaf Cherry, Sugarbush and other plants the size of small trees. Notice also that these large granite boulder plant habitats are on steep southern exposure which normally doesn't allow for large plant growth. Notice also the marked contrasts where such larger vegetation ceases where boulder borders end.

If you ever take the drive up lambs Canyon on Hwy 79 from the San Jacinto Valley up tp the Beaumont-Banning area where I-10 runs between Los Angeles & Palm Springs, you will notice the marked contrast in vegetation types north of the Lamb's Canyon Landfill turnoff which is exactly at the halfway point. To restate my point, most of the vegetation type is interior sage-scrub, very similar to coastal sage scrub along Southern California's coastline. These large granite boulders stand out in stark contrast to the surrounding landscape. Traveling north, this is encountered just past the county Landfill turnoff. Once at the top of the Canyon on the Beaumont plateau, the vegetation changes as the boulders are absent once again. Still, the contrast is amazing and should educate and provide lessons here for those with such natural features in their acreages when developing plans for the landscape and incorporating boulders and other smaller rocks. Boulders are like a giant mulch for plants and concentrate rainwater into various niches in between them. Plants thrive here and if you are fortunate enough to have boulder and other rocks, don't curse them, cherish them instead.

So let's take a look at those folks less fortunate cold and rain soaked regions of earth but who want to have a desert theme in their region. Here's the first illustration of a real life Desert Plant community foundation plant example followed by it's Faux replacement.

Elephant Tree ( Bursera microphylla )

Take a look first at this gallery of a native desert tree on and around rocky outcroppings. Notice every detail and pattern around the silhouette and within the trees interior. Notice is bark smoothness and colouration. This is going to come in handy when looking for non-desert plants with similar qualities and characteristics for you faux desert theme landscape.

photo by David Allen 
Vizcaino Desert, Baja California, Mexico

photo by Spencer Woodward

Now pay close attention to the twisted picturesque interior of an average Elephant Tree. Seriously, pay attention now.

Elephant Tree, Anza Borrego State Park

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Okay, shifting gears here now!!!

Now take a look at a cooler climate subsitute found at the Göteborg Botanical Gardens with many of the same identical features and patterns with regards leaves, bark colouration and twisted form and sillouetted appearance as that of a large Bonsai. The Tree is called Magnolia x soulangeana of which their are numerous cultivators. Take note of the similar twisting nature and multitrunked habit. Clearly you can also manually prune to shape as nature often does this to the Elephant Tree depending on it's exposed location. 

Magnolia x soulangeana

Photo: Mine

Closer inspection of the interior features of the Magnolia almost as a mirror image of Bursera microphylla or Elephant Tree. Isn't this a beautiful replacement ?

Photo: Mine

Beautiful example and notice to the right of this display and in the background there was another variety example of yet another Magnolia dwarf tree inserted within the red rock hardscape. Take note also of the dwarf variety of Yucca which may be found at almost any nursery. Perhaps in cooler climates even several varieties of New Zealand Flax may be substituted for the Yucca. Notice how well it fits into the rock outcropping landscape theme. Same contortion and twisted unique appearance. Now take a look at a couple of pictures of some larger examples in the park. Notice once again the bark colouration and the multitrunked twisted appearance. 

Photo: Mine

Magnolia x soulangeana just outside of the retail Nursery of Göteborg Botanical Gardens. Again, notice the almost identical twisted multi-trunk form of the Desert southwest Elephant Tree. 

Interesting features of the multitrunked Magnolia

The bottomline here is that in a Temperate Climate or Boreal Forested environment, you can substitute other plants with similar features of colour, bark, leaves, silhouette etc and create a Faux Desert Theme even though the plants are totally opposite and unrelated. Shifting some gears again now on an entirely different Subtropical Tree which has Temperate Forest cousins in the Northwest. Texas Madrone (Arbutus xalapensis) also can be found in similar rock outcroppings and of similar Sedona red rock like settings as examples in the Guadalupe Mountains of southern New Mexico.

Image from Dirt Doctor

Like Manzanita and Redshank or Ribbonwood, Texas Madrone also has a similar peeled bark appearance

Acer griseum - China

Now take a look at a great substitute found at the Göteborg Botanical Gardens. This tree is not what it may appear at a distance or even up close, yet it has many of the same similar silhouetted qualities and deep red bark characteristics of it's trunk down to the smallest twig details as the Texas Madrone. Clearly the leaves are different, but the overall form and pattern really work with the background of rocks and boulders. In other ways this small tree also reminds me of another plant I had in abundance on my acreage in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs. That chaparral small tree or shrub is Redshank or Ribbonwood (Adenostoma sparsifolium). 

Acer griseum Paperbark Maple

Example of Leaf shape and size

Same Tree but from different upper 
elevation angle.

Photo: Mine

I enjoyed this view as they incorporated the same earth toned light red stone in a stacked staggered design and used ferns to fill in the gaps between the stones.

The experience at this year's Botanical Garden desert display was certainly an educational experience and yet I had seen these very plants and thought about their uses over 6 years ago when I first visited these gardens. But until now never gave a thought as to writing about them. This quality of thinking and problem solving for solutions is admittedly related to my exposure and influence with hispanic culture who like other cultures less privileged in the material world sense have had to rely on intuitiveness and McGuyver-like problem solving for survival which I wrote about here:

Mexican Ingenuity: If Anyone Can a Mexi - Can

I'm grateful for the hispanic influence in my life. I've had a few businesses which required an incredible amount of creativity and intuitive problem solving and many of the products I used to accomplish various tasks were totally unrelated for the use I put them to. The same could be said for landscaping. Use your BRAIN and THINK, MEDITATE & PONDER about creative ways to accomplish mountain-like seemingly impossible landscaping tasks. Also remember the absolutely necessary reasons for replicating what you observe out in Nature and dump many of the old school conventional failed science-based technologies which have presently brought our natural world to it's knees over these past 100 years. Hopefully some are benefited here to create an amazing hideaway of sorts that they originally thought they could never have.

Remember also even if you have the ideal habitat and climate to use the real deals as far as desert landscape themes, train the plants to grow deeper roots by proper water methods which replicate the reality. Withholding water is something most conventional gardeners are not trained to do. Get that landscape off life support which is what most conventional gardening only accomplishes. While all plants enjoy and need a rainy season, they do not need nor necessarily want this option on a continuous basis. With many southwest native plants if you water excessively, that is beyond their normal requirement needs found in nature, though they may grow somewhat aggressively and vigorously, you may actually be shortening their lifespan by many years. And who really wants to start over again and again ?

Next year in Spring of 2013 I'm coming out and will photograph many of the dryland chaparral natives like various forms of Manzanitas I planted before leaving for Europe. They ALL have received NO WATER beyond supplemental watering that first year. They are ALL on natural rainfall averages within the El Cajon CA area and nothing more. Their roots were inoculated with a great mycorrhizal mix from Mycorrhizal Applications Inc

Such innoculent is imperative especially with Manzanitas since unlike other plants do not have the same type of fine root hairs for absorption of water and nutrients.  They are totally dependent on this symbiosis. Don't believe that ? Then watch your Manzanita project fail big time. So deep watering to establish and mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria are a must. Don't worry about hot summers after that. So what if they appear to not be growing fast enough. Part of the true landscape success is being patient which most humans have a great inability to accomplish, especially when instant landscape is desirable. As Prof Todd Dawson discovered, even streamside trees in a riparian zone habitat take their water not from the surface waters, but from deeper subsoil layers. Educate yourself and understand the basics of just how the natural world works and what it wants will almost guarantee you sure success.

See previous post on Boulders and Rocks

Ökenliv (Desert Life) Part III - Sedona Arizona ?

Ökenliv (Desert Life) Part III - Sedona Arizona ?

Great examples in the use and placement of rocks in the Hardscape. Certainly a huge investment for sure, but if done correctly and using the RIGHT plants, you can create a private theme that will bring joy to your garden hideaway which will create the illusion of escape and add great value to the home. Take a look at this UN-Swedish-like example below.

Photo: Mine

With the exception of the antiquated Aluminum Green House in the background, these granite rock forms and their reddish earth tone colours are spectacular and laid out as the real deal. Only thing missing is Lizards.

Lantana

These features were in Göteborg Botanical Gardens. But here's some advice for folks actually living in warmer climates. Even when someone does a great job of placement with just the right shapes and sizes in a theme, the biggest mistakes I see in the use of rocks is folks not having the slightest clue of what plants to use so as not to hide or overwhelm those kool features you wanted to highlight in your hardscape in the first place. One plant I actually do like in many situations, but when neglected will totally bury your rockscape is the beautiful insect attracting flowering plant Lantana.

A prime example is the house at the very bottom of my Mum's street on the corner of Pepper Drive and Marlinda in El Cajon CA. That corner planter had some large granite boulders placed there if I remember, but as a result of neglect the Lantana has mounded up so high with alot of dead dry material underneath that the plant is a complete mass of material the size of a pickup truck. No sign that boulders were ever present. Take a look at the plants they used here at the Botanical Gardens which simply accent and compliment the rock features.

Photo: Mine

Bunch Grasses, miniature Juniper, Dwarf Yucca and a shrub I'll identify later which has the stunted appearance like a type of Elephant tree found in the Anza Borrego Desert and Baja California rock outcroppings. None of those typical desert plants are native here for obvious reasons, but you can find substitutes and create an effective Faux Desert theme. Also notice the incorporation of similar coloured gravel or decomposed granite to fill in gaps and use as a mulch.

Dwarf variety of a Varigated Yucca

To the right here is a photo from a different angle of the small Yucca incorporated into the desert themed landscape next to the boulder slabs. Other low growing plants accent or compliment the rock slabs as opposed to overwhelming them & hiding all those great beautiful geological features which were the reasons why they were chosen in the first place. Such landscape/hardscape marriage themes as these are perfect for natural pond swimming pools as can be seen here from Inspiration Green's website page with Natural Swimming Pools and Swimming Ponds. But seriously, the creative juices should be overflowing here with the endless possibilities. Replicating nature not only in design, but in mechanism design called biomemetics will keep the system in operation for the life of the theme you install.

http://inspirationgreen.com/natural-pools-swimming-ponds.html

Photo: Mine

The little puddle of water here reveals the rainy nature of this year's summer. Yet at the same time on this particular sunny day it made me reminisce of a Thundershower afternoon somewhere around Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon Arizona. But where are those Lizards ? Guess I need fake plastic ones for realism effect!!!  Is that biological soil crust on those rocks ?

Another area of this Botanical Garden that incorporated unique slab or slate type of boulders with a block rectangular shape was under these  Oak & Elm Trees for use as natural benches. Once again the choices of rock and just the right placement has a natural appeal as if it has always been there.

Natural Rock Benches

Another angle and look at other slabs incorporated 
into the rest area.

And yet another angle of the rock rest area

Some words about boulders, rocks and gravel in the Hardscape. If you're going to do it, then do it right. Don't be satisfied with just some rocks of any kind placed in the garden. If possible go with boulders that will be central pieces and make sure they are the right type of rock geology feature which will fit your theme. Think of the plant community theme you want and definitely know something about the geology of the picturesque area they are native to. Picking the right boulders is an art in it self. It took me several years combing the canyons, washes and Alluvial Fans (Bajadas) around the Coachella Valley for just the right shapes, colours and stone quality before I finally finished my own garden steps in Anza. The example boulders above clearly illustrate that the designer had specifics in mind. You have to be the one that lives with your choices whether you PERSONALLY are involved or you even if you SUB-CONTRACT someone else. By all means do your own personal homework and have a say, it's your investment. 

My way of homework for years was spending as much time in nature as possible and taking mental notes. If need be, take photographs of visuals and other scenery that inspires you on the inside. Illustrate scenes that impress you and your taste in what a kool hideaway looks like and think of ways of replicating that in your own urban landscape. I've not only done this with hardscapes involving various rocks, logs and such, but with specific plant features as well. Where do you think Bonsai inspiration came from ? There are countless Bonsai examples everywhere in the wild around the globe. 

Stay away from some of the cheap concrete fake rocks. I hate a lot of that stuff that I see in the commercial Home Centers. It's cheezy and frankly I don't think it works. Faux granite slabs of the commercial kind are great if you have the bucks and can colour match incorporated real boulder and rock slabs in with them. Examples of quality Faux Rock art are found at several of the Living Desert Museums both in California and Arizona. But keep in mind these organizations had real professionals who knew what they were doing. They also had a lot of bucks. I've been in a number of businesses to know that there are a heck of a lot of Wannabes of any kind out there who'll take your money and split, so choose carefully and get references. Again those types of construction jobs are usually around pool decks and so forth and are most likely expensive, but I think most folks can do it on a small scale budget and build gradually. The project can be fun and rewarding in the end if you are a DIYer. I love boulders and rock outcroppings in general when it comes to landscaping.

http://www.boulderimages.com/engineered-retaining-walls

Tomorrow I'll have some examples of trees and shrubs which thrive here and could pass as their subtropical substitutes or counterparts for native plants elsewhere from warmer climates. Escaping from Temperate & Boreal Forest habitats is a habit of mine, even if it's creating a fantasy of sorts. Creating microclimate Illusions even in such areas as these is definitely possible as the Desert Life theme proves this year.