Page 31 - Oct.Nov PDF For Flipbook

was designed as a woman’s front yard,” said Sophie Vidal, Education
Director for the Ruth Bancroft Garden. “Things aren’t grouped by
where they are from, they’re grouped by how she liked them; she
thought the looked good together, then they survived and so she left
them that way,” Vidal explains. “It’s a very personal garden.”
Ruth worked in the garden into her late 90s, physically out there weed-
ing and pruning just as before, but she finally, for the most part, retired.
“Even today if she’s out in the garden and she sees a weed or something
she’ll either start to reach to go get it herself or request that somebody
grab it for her,” said Vidal. “So it’s still very much her garden … Our
mission is to preserve the garden in her vision and have it be around for
the education and enjoyment of the public.”
The most common reason to visit the garden is to simply look
around and take it all in. They have self-guided tours every day the
garden is open and you’re welcome to walk yourself around. You’ll
also be handed a monthly insert, which highlights some of the cur-
rent blooms that are in season. There’s also guided tours available on
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
In addition to the regular horticultural enthusiasts, tourists, families
and/or students that visit the garden each year, “We also have peo-
ple who are interested in ripping out their lawns (especially with the
drought right now) and they’re looking for inspiration for what they
can do instead of having a big green grass lawn,” said Vidal. The greatest
thing about visiting a garden of cacti and succulents that’s been growing
for so long is that you can see how the plants have matured over the
years. “You might go to a nursery and buy a little tiny plant—the next
thing you know 10-15 years down the road it’s this giant 6-foot agave
that sends up a 30-foot bloom in the sky,” said Vidal. “There’s things
that you might not necessarily think of when you’re buying that little
one-gallon plant, so you get a chance to see what things will do as they
grow and mature.”
Many of the plants you’ll find in the garden were planted by Ruth
Bancroft herself and grew from one-gallon containers or smaller. She
had less interest in buying big, expensive, matured plants, but rather,
Ruth preferred to wait and watch it grow. “That totally worked for her,”
said Vidal. Walking around you’ll probably notice a giant yucca plant
on the premises. “She planted it 43 years ago. It just came in to flower
for it’s first time this summer, so she had a chance to get out and see
that in bloom.” Right before her 107th birthday this year on September
2nd, Ruth is still able to enjoy the fruits of her labor.
At the garden you’ll find events and classes all year long focusing on a
variety of subjects including basic gardening principles, how to propa-
gate your succulents, care and maintenance, creating arrangements and
so much more. An interesting workshop to look for is called Lawn To
Garden. “We’ll actually rip out a lawn and replace it with a garden all
in one day,” said Vidal. Workshop participants all get to have a hand in
it, and one lucky participant will have it all done to their own personal
yard! “Through the end of the day we’ll have completely transformed
somebody’s front yard into a more drought-tolerant landscape,” she
said. “We do it at someone’s house; it’s an amazing day.” They haven’t
done many of these. Their fourth one will be held on Sunday, October
4th. If you’ve missed it, or if the class was filled, keep an eye out for
future workshops and events on their website.