A visit to The Pina Colada Garden

The Pina Colada Garden - photos taken in 2006 and 2007.

Last year my small garden was open to a couple of garden tours.
I am eternally grateful that the tours were scheduled for 2006 rather than 2007 because this year my garden is limping along in recovery from a debilitating frosty winter that killed many of the sub-tropicals that I had optimistically planted in a fit of zonal denial.

Below are several photographs that were shared with me from various garden photographers who took photographs during the spring and summer of 2006.

My garden is slowly regaining its florific momentum, but it is taking its sweet time during our unseasonably cool spring .

I anxiously await for my garden to resurrect itself to its former glory, but until then I am very fortunate to have such good friends who shared their garden photography with me.

So here’s to the Pina Colada garden, it was served up frozen this winter but soon it will be simply shaken and ready to be served up once again.

Below are several photos taken by California Sue of Dave’s Garden, Marion Brenner
and Lee Anne White.
With much appreciation, many thanks to your photographic talents.


Below : The layout of the Pina Colada Garden - USDA zone 9a - Marin County Northern CA.


Below: The front gate entry is flanked by blue glazed pots planted with papyrus, and succulents


This photo below was taken by Saxon Holt for an article in Sunset Magazine


A detail shot of the succulents - Lee Anne White photography


Another shot taken of the front path. The color of the tile mosaic in this photo is very true to the actual color.


After opening the front gate one is lead down the deep blue mosaic path. A small potager garden is planted to the right of the path and the succulent garden is planted to the left.


Set in the succulent garden is ‘Carman Miranda’s Grandson, “ Frenchy “.




This photo was taken this spring 2007. As you can see the boxwood frame around the potager was uneffected by the frost. A whole new seasonal batch of herbs and flowers are starting out.


Same garden area, photo taken by Calif. Sue in 2006 on The Garden Conservancy Tour.


As you pass past the potager the garden opens up to a small lawn and perennial border.
At the end of the lawn area I had a larger than life size topiary worman standing under the Ash tree, her name is Buxom Bottom Busty Betty. She has a little succulent covered terrior dog to keep her company.


As you leave the front yard , through an opening in the old redwood fence a path created from recycled cracked concrete takes you through the side yard Sculpture Garden.


Looking back on the side yard


A raku tile sculpture hanging off the redwood fence


Some low fired ceramic “she nut “ sculptures


Rounding the corner from the side yard into the back yard this is the first view that you have of the back yard garden.


Photo by Lee Anne White - Looking down the back yard path with a Charles Grimaldi Brugmansi in the foreground.


A three foot tall strawberry pot planted with The Guardsman Phormium. photo by Marion Brenner.


One of the Pot Heads that are tucked in along the path.




This photo taken by Calif. Sue was taken along the back yard path looking towards the greenhouse.


A bed adjacent to the greenhouse. Planted with Alocasia, Canna, Heliconia, Agave attenuatta, Carex ‘sparkler’ and various succulents and palms.


A photo by Sue that shows the trunk of a Red Banana and a tillandsia and plectranthus.


A Marcia Donahue stone sculpted head sits in an antique Indonesian grain grinding mill surrounded by succulents.


My outdoor dining and napping area.


Rounding the corner to the south side succulent garden . This is pretty much the end of the Tour and my small yard garden space . Thanks for enjoying it with me.