We stopped and had lunch by the log cabin in Golden Gate Park. After lunch, the kids and I checked out a couple of plaques that were in the area. Both were mounted to boulders. The first one (picture to the left) was a monument to the original 13 colonies. Supposedly, it marked the location of a grove of trees where a native species from each of the original colonies was planted. I don’t think all the trees are still there. The plaque was over 100 years old. Some of the trees may have naturalized. There were a few stands of different species, but I don’t know enough about trees to tell much besides if they are coniferous or deciduous. I thought that was a really neat idea to make a grove like that, and I was disappointed to find that it really wasn’t there.

Burning Man

GGP Rose

The purple head was really neat. As we were riding along, we could see the top of a purple dome sticking up over the hill. What’s that? we all wondered. We stopped and checked it out.

And even better than the head was the public restroom that was just behind the head. Of course, we availed ourself of the facilities.

We also visited the Rose Garden. They were setting up for a wedding. It’s a lovely spot, but I’m not sure that I’d want to have my wedding in such a public location.

I love the burls in old redwoods.

DH catching some rays and z’s outside the flower conservatory

Saundra gave me the sea thrift some time ago. It hasn’t done so well in my garden. I suspect that it doesn’t get enough water, and, perhaps, the desiccating furnace blast (aka sunlight) is too much for it. I really like it. It’s a nice ground cover, and, of course, I like the pink flowers.

China Tea Rose

It’s not much to look at, but this China Tea Rose smells heavenly. I did not pick the best place to plant it. The blooms ball when they get wet, and there’s a sprinkler head just below it. This rose has one excellent flush in May, and then it blooms repeatedly, but nothing like the first flush. It is disease and pest resistant, which is nice. And it seems to like the weather in Livermore.

Clarkia rubicunda

I think this is Clarkia rubincunda. Since I don’t have any flowers, it’s kinda hard to tell. It seems to be doing well. We shall see what happens.

Bearded Iris

And one of my bearded iris. I bought a collection with Mary Clare, almost 15 years ago. They’ve done very well. They seem to like full sun.

Rose, iris, and other plants

Here are those bearded iris with the old yellow rose that we moved from the backyard. The rose is struggling. It died-back last year, but it is still hanging in there. The roses are lovely.

In the far background, the white flowers are love-in-a-mist. They make a beautiful field of blossoms every spring. You can also see Angel Face, the purple rose; that rose loves the Livermore climate. Moving counterclockwise, there is the last of the woodland hyacinths, more love-in-a-mist, and the beginnings of the cannas. The bearded iris and old yellow rose are next to rosemary, which also loves the Livermore climate. I severely prune the rosemary at least once a year. And as we come full circle, we have a couple of miniature roses. The one in the pot is a moss rose, and I forget the name of the orangered mini rose.