Joanne Fuller's Garden

When the temperature is predicted to be 104 degrees, touring a garden is probably not a wise decision. Nevertheless, plans had been made and an appointment to see Joanne Fuller's garden as well as her next door neighbor Linda Ernst was set - at least it was morning and relatively cool.

The two gardens are located in a beautiful neighborhood with tree-lined streets. Joanne's house is elevated above the street and steps bordered by terraced beds lead up to the front porch. Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of the front since I had not asked permission yet and by the time we worked our way around to the front again (from Linda's side), I forgot to go back and take photos.

Stepping into the back garden leads down a shady pathway bordered with a tapestry of contrasting foliage. Joanne loves bold foliage and she is especially fond of podophyllum. I lost count of how many varieties she had - all beautiful. 

 

The garden is also filled with art. This Buddha statue is a memorial to Joanne's sister. The stand is faced with a mosaic of stones and shells.

And draped around the trunk of a large Japanese Maple is this incredible mala (prayer beads) created by Berkeley artist Marcia Donahue.

Continuing down the path...

Joanne's garden is mostly shady. However, a recent tree removal from the neighbor's garden behind her created a sunny spot -

I believe the pebble mosaic is by Jeffrey Bale (I hope my memory is correct). In the corner, notice the loquat tree. Mine is still a baby compared to this -

Every step you take, there is something to see and one must not forget to look down -

Up to the patio/deck that overlooks the garden -

Lots of great pots -

In my next post, I will step through the gate that leads to Linda's garden...

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy