New Home-base: Denver and the Front Range

Arctostaphylos patula. Your February and March every year will just not be as nicely clad with heathery flowers nor this fine bark all year. It is also one of few broadleaf evergreens for the xeric landscape. (That really has broad enough leaves to surprise us all)

The great Allan Taylor gardens and deposits his far-reaching botanising finds in Boulder, Colorado, an hour North of Denver.

He specialises in Quercus (Oak) and Artctostaphylos (Manzanita) if not everything. I may as well mention Rhododendrons and the Ericaceae (Heather Family) at large, Acer (Maple), Juniperus (You know what that is), Pinus, Picea (Pines), Sorbus (Mountain Ash), Yucca, Agave, and a fine representation of Southwestern native Cactus. Even with that list of specialties, I know I've missed something.

Shortly after this shot, he fastidiously cleaned up all the twigs, (and he may hate me for posting this) but here is is a small segment of this lovely, naturalesque, and well-composed garden:

I like a few twigs, thank you...

Even in late winter, I find his xeriscape (not low-water, but no-water) to be compelling.

Two fine fine forms of Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. mariposa, perhaps coming to a discerning garden near you (via Dr. Taylor). Let's hope!