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More Photos of Tilden in December

Coastal Bluff Section

Coastal Bluff Section at Tilden

More photos of winter at the bot garden below..

Manzanita with Aspens

Manzanita with Aspens

The manzanita against the aspens isn’t quite as striking as the redtwig dogwoods, but still really nice. It, like the redtwigs, is favorite for planting in front of light-colored walls. I’m trying to think if I have ever seen manzanitas and aspens growing together in the Sierras. Probably not in such close proximity, but I’m sure I’ve seen them on the same hike, just in different sections of the trail.

Aspens

Aspens

Lichen on the Aspens

Lichen on the Aspens

Artemisia californica with Manzanita

Artemisia californica with Manzanita Groundcover

Foothill Needlegrass

Foothill Needlegrass

Deer Grass

Deer Grass

Greenbark Ceanothus, Ceanothus spinosus

Greenbark Ceanothus, Ceanothus spinosus

I put an addendum on my post about Sibley’s tree book, noting that he left out ceanothus and manzanita, something I don’t think he would have done if he was from California, and definitely not if he’d been to Tilden. Not that I really need the book to include them, but I do think it’s an omission. I guess, outside of California horticultural circles, people just think of manzanitas and ceanothus as shrubs and groundcovers. Greenbark Ceanothus isn’t even one of the largest of the tree ceanothus, just one that I happened to photograph. I posted photos of my favorite manzanita grove in the garden earlier this year.

Utah Serviceberry, Amelanchier utahensis

Utah Serviceberry, Amelanchier utahensis

At the same time, the guide includes the shrubby Western and Utah Serviceberries (Amelanchier alnifolia and utahensis). To my surprise, I could distinguish them using the book’s description of stouter and hairier buds on the Utah. So I’m still really liking the guide, I’m just starting to learn its idiosyncrasies. I have a photo of the same Utah Serviceberry flowering this past spring.

Utah Serviceberry, Amelanchier utahensis

Utah Serviceberry, Amelanchier utahensis

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5 Responses to “More Photos of Tilden in December”

  1. December 20th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    Carol says:

    Beautiful photos Ryan… especially the Aspens with the lichen! Gorgeous! Happy Solstice! Carol

  2. December 20th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    Town Mouse says:

    Beautiful! Manzanitas are just so amazing, same plant as a groundcover or a tree? That can be a little confusing.

  3. December 21st, 2009 at 9:50 pm

    lostlandscape(James) says:

    Hmmm…I wonder if anyone plants lichen as a design feature? I could think of some really neat Andy Goldsworthy effects…

  4. December 22nd, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    ryan says:

    You know, I don’t know about encouraging lichen on plants, but it is considered a selling point for boulders.

  5. November 12th, 2010 at 1:10 pm

    DryStoneGarden » Blog Archive » Tilden Aspens says:

    […] December I admired the aspens at Tilden, here and here, after they’d dropped their leaves. I told myself I should stop and check out their fall […]

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