By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea

Glen and I just spent our 34th anniversary in southern California, our favorite shorter drive destination. Janae just blogged about how old she is. I'm sure that she would admit we act much older. We chose a gardening theme for our anniversary as well as dinner with friends rather than just we two. We had a wonderful time!

Our first stop was this small nursery which we had read about in "Sunset" magazine. I think that if we had it to do over again, we might have been small garden nursery owners. We seem to visit one each week!

All nurseries need something to draw one in, in hopes they will buy. This is what I bought.

A beautiful blue pot with a wavy top and a blue sage plant that the bees LOVE!

After another visit to a favorite nursery of Glen's, we parked the car at Mira Costa College and boarded a red double-decker bus. This was my first attempt at taking a long arm self portrait as we zipped onward to Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Pretty good considering the breeze (note self-grown toupee whipping back) and the dodging of low hanging branches. I was pretty relieved when we went under the freeway instead of hopping onto the 5. Imagine that breeze! A toupee with roots might even blow off!

The bus brought us to the playground of the elementary school in Cardiff and the Encinitas Garden Festival. Lucky children, all of them, who grew up with this view of the ocean at recess. Weather wise, it was a perfect day. Will call and our tickets were at the end of this line of vendors, so we browsed on our way in and out. More about that later.

We then boarded another double-decker bus to take us up the hill to begin the Encinitas Garden Tour.
The bright blooms above might look like poppies, but surprisingly they are blooming succulents.

It was a walking tour in a lovely neighborhood. Most homes were built to take advantage of an ocean view. The gardens were small but lovely. It was fun to see how each home used their space. I'm including several pictures of vegetable gardens which used ways rather than tilling the flat ground.


These tiered planters formed a corner of the yard overlooking a grassy area.

It's possible to plant a garden anywhere, even in a 3-4 foot walkway from the back to the front of the house. This planter was built right next to the house, leaving just enough room to walk between it and the fence. I'm a bit worried about enough hours of sun!

This garden was in the backyard of two connected geodesic dome homes. Very utilitarian with a compost pile in a hole in the ground. Part of the charm of the tour was the variety.

What a great way to control and use a sunny slope.

These are some of our favorite homes.

Glen found his outdoor heater in someone's backyard. How did that happen! It was standing next to an amazing fireplace.

These next two little houses occupied the same lot and were FOR SALE! If I were rich I would be tempted to have a second house near the ocean with a guest house for all of you.


Before leaving Cardiff, I just had to take a couple of pictures of these "garden chairs." I feel inspired to go flea market hunting for old chairs, I really do.

We did ride the bus back to the parking lot with the following plants.

Glen was ecstatic to find an Australian woolly bush. He has been looking since seeing one at Quail Gardens two years ago. It's that prickly one in the background. If you touch it, you will find it is not prickly at all, but soft to the touch and as Glen would say, "Like silk."

I picked red and pink kangaroo paw plants to keep my golden ones on their toes.

We were ready for food so stopped at Pelly's, our favorite place to eat in Carlsbad.

I found this Pelly on the Oceanside Pier. When I cropped out the man who kept trying to pet him, I somehow saved him gray scale even though the background was all blues.

After lunch, a nap. After cleaning up, a late dinner at Norte's with Randy and Christy.

The next morning found us at the Oceanside Pier.

We can't leave for home without walking the pier!

As we walk the pier, Glen listens as I lament, "We should have moved to San Diego County when we were first married. We talked about it then. We should have just done it!"

The Flower Fields were still in bloom which surprised us. We've always been to see them in March. We didn't pay to go inside, but found a wonderful walkway above the garden with lookouts.




Glen also found this tree in bloom on the walkway. Perhaps it will take the place of the woolly bush on his list of garden wants.


We drove back down the hill and took this picture from the bottom looking up.

Glen also requested a shot of this plant on a stand (like his coleus up high) before jumping in the car and heading for home. You may find something similar in front of my house next year!

It was a great trip. I know you thought we were showing our age, garden show and dinner with friends to celebrate 34 years, but it suited us just fine!