Page 21 - Sonoma County Gazette - June 2018

While You’re in the Neighborhood...
By Vesta Copestakes
Two unique gardens and plant propagators live in South Sebastopol. Both are
worth taking the time to visit while you’re here for California Carnivores. This is a wonderful part of our county. The roads take you into beautiful countryside you may not experience if you weren’t looking for these nurseries.
Lone Pine Gardens specializes in succulents. They grow thousands of them to sell to stores like Friedman Home Improvement and nurseries all over. The tiniest pots contain starts
that live on tables until they have
established sufficient roots to be sold. And they are beautiful. Some are even planted in unique pottery for table art.
A few years ago a photo of this
garden was on the cover of our
annual Gardeners Resource Guide.
Joan Humbree was the photographer
and I always enjoyed talking with
her. An annual visit over the phone. She died not that long ago and I never got to meet her face-to-face, so when we were exploring Damon’s wild plant kingdom, I just had to entice Jane and Su there.
Su is a plant enthusiast who knows the Latin names, so as we wander these gardens, she gets all excited and tells us what they are called, what conditions they like to live in...all kinds of information about these lovely little plants. Her knowledge and joy at being out here makes the journey that much more fun.
Colors, shapes, light and shadow playing across curved, thick...leaves? Are they leaves? Su, tell me what this is...it’s lovely! We gather little pots in our arms and go to pay for them. The website has care information, and lots of photos, probably taken by Joan. It’s worthy of a tour on your computer, but go there as well. Bring money, you WILL bring home treasures for your garden!
Lone Pine Gardens, 6450 Lone Pine Rd, Sebastopol lonepinegardens.com • (707) 823-5024
Sonoma Horticulture Nursery specializes in Rhododendrons and Azaleas, but also shade plants like ferns, etc. We’re in the tail end of Azalea season but coming into Hydrangea season, so it’s another reason to visit. As you approach the nursery you wonder how can a shade plant garden be out here in the wide open and sunny hills. But once you find the gate and wander down the drive to park you understand. (use the map on the website!)
7+ acres settle into Blutcher Creek valley with towering trees shading the mile-plus walking path, pond and plant propagation areas. It’s lush, dark green, cool and shaded with bursts of color.
The path wanders through the garden so you pick up a map at the small shed by the parking lot where you will bring your treasures back to pay for them before you leave.
Polo de Lorenzo used to own this nursery for decades, then had a hard time maintaining his creation, so now Mike Boss owns it and is taking care of deferred maintenance as he discovers every plant, every wonder that Polo created over the years. It’s an adventure!
Want to spend time here helping Mike? They have Garden Work Parties the second Sunday of the month from 10am - 4pm. And yes, you earn discounts for your efforts. I have a neighbir who has done this for years. You have never seen such lovely gardens in a canyon!
Sonoma Horticultural Nursery, 3970 Azalea Ln, Sebastopol sonomahort.com • (707) 823-6832
6/18 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 21