Hello Friends –

Gardening in the Glory of Fall

The calm air and golden light of October bring us out of our foggy summer doldrums and back into the joy of year-round mild-climate gardening. This time of year also brings some of our favorite garden treats into colorful glory. We've got a couple of amazing events planned to help you soak up outdoor beauty in this mellow season, always the best time of year to plan and to plant. And don't forget, we've got the Pumpkin Truck decked out in full bug drag – it's stunning, and full of beautiful pumpkins.

Pumpkins ready to go home with you

Esther Pots in a New Palette!

Esther Pottery, a small family workshop in Southern California, has just released their handmade pots in a new palette, perfect for fall. So pretty! Each is one-of-a-kind. I continue to be intrigued with their earthy sophistication and retro echo. Come and get them while they last.

Fall colors from Esther Pottery

Exotics at Home:
Workshops with the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers

Sunday, October 24, 2010 at Flora Grubb Gardens
11am   Create Your Own Vertical Cloud Forest 12pm   Create Your Own Succulent Composition 1pm   Create Your Own Aerium We're excited to offer an event with the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers: "Exotics at Home." Join us for three short talks and demonstrations here at the store about gorgeous, high-impact garden design that brings the lush spirit of the Conservatory into your garden.

Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Of course we will make room for you if you swing by at the last minute.

Create Your Own Vertical Cloud Forest

The vertical lushness at the Conservatory will serve as inspiration
for our do-it-yourself workshop.

At 11am Flora Grubb Gardens staff will demonstrate how to create a Woolly Pocket cloud forest vertical garden using fog-loving exotics like fuchsias, ferns, vireya rhododendrons, orchids, and bromeliads. If you've visited the Conservatory, you've no doubt been wowed by the displays of mossy, orchid-encrusted "trees" in the Highland Tropics Gallery. What do we have a lot of in San Francisco? Fog! Our mild, foggy summers make the city an ideal place to grow plants from the cool mountain slopes of the tropics, like the Andes and Himalayas.

Tank bromeliads and tillandsias, growing together in a vertical garden
at the Conservatory, will look great in your own vertical garden, too.

Vireya rhododendrons thrive in our mild climate.
We'll have plenty on hand for your vertical garden.

Create Your Own Succulent Composition

At 12pm we'll share the secrets of composing our lovely succulent dish gardens.

Our succulent compositions never cease to enchant our visitors. There are a few tricks we can teach you that will help you to create over-the-top combinations and craft them for your growing conditions. We'll have plenty of precious little succulents and gorgeous pots for you to make your own with. (Pay only for what you use.)

We'll help your create your own succulent composition – in an Esther pot perhaps?

A succulent composition in one of our Rock Pots

A succulent composition in the Canoe Pot by Bauer Pottery

Create Your Own Aerium

At 1pm we'll teach you how to make your own Aerium. Aerium isn't a real word: We made it up to describe our terrariums that have no "terra" (earth). Aeriums are full of little living things that thrive on air and water alone and need no soil.

We're offering a hands-on demonstration and everything you need to compose a tillandsia micro world. (Pay only for the materials you use.)

Not much of a do-it-yourselfer? We also offer these in our Web Shop.

Make your own Aerium, or get one in our Web Shop.

Cool Trees for San Francisco Gardens

With just a bit of attention (and snooping over the garden fence), you can spy some pretty cool, unusual trees around San Francisco. Join us at 5pm on Thursday, November 4, for a discussion and a slide show of trees we love for San Francisco gardens, parks, and streetscapes. Friends of the Urban Forest's Doug Wildman and Flora Grubb Gardens' own Jason Dewees will share their enthusiasm for beautiful, rare trees that thrive in San Francisco's unique climate. Fall is the best time to plant trees. Come learn how to use them in your home environment!

Banksia integrifolia, a beautiful Australian tree that loves growing in California.

The Owls Are Back, and Now in Our Webshop, Too

The owls are back!

What is it about these little owls? I'm not always a fan of garden sculptures, but I love these guys. They are so simple, and so expressive. We have tons in stock now in all the sizes, including little cuties to keep you company on your desk. You can buy them in our Web Shop now, too.

Changing to Winter Hours

On October 31, we will change to our winter hours.

Join Us on Facebook

It's just like neighbors chatting about their gardens over the fence, but digitally. Please join us.

Come and see us soon. Don't let the chill keep you away. Get your sweater on, and get out there into your garden!

– Flora and everyone at Flora Grubb Gardens