2 May: Rhodie Tour: McCormick-Stevens garden

Saturday, 2 May 2015

Long Beach Peninsula Rhododendron Tour

McCormick-Stevens Garden

from the programme:  “This bay side garden is located on part of the original Clarke Rhododendron Nursery.  The owners have been clearing out the undergrowth for some years with pick and saw. They were surprised and delighted to uncover old specimen rhododendrons. Under their care and nurturing, these historic rhododendrons are  blooming once again, many with intense, intoxicating fragrance.  As you walk this 5 acre estate you can also see the new gardens that have been added, many with rhodies and other spring-blooming plants. Owners Steve and John are also credited with the idea of assembling this 2015 spring Rhododendron event for public viewing of the spectacular blooms so absent from the Music in the Gardens tour which is held each year in July.”

Any plant ID errors are mine.  I wish I had Steve and John looking over my shoulder while I write this!

We entered through a narrow path from Ron Barclay’s property next door, passing by the intoxicating fragrance of Rhododendron loderi ‘Venus’.

Rhododendron loderi ‘Venus’

looking north from whence we came (right, Coral bark maple)

Venus’s fragrance filled this part of the garden.  The grassy path goes back to the Barclay garden.

Allan took some photos of the pump house roof where the succulents are thriving:

¯

Nearby, a huge white camellia has been blooming for months.

camellia at NE corner of house

camellia flower

photo by Kathleen Shaw

photo by Kathleen Shaw

To our right as we walk to the south.

west side of the house (by local architect Erik Fagerland)

drainage swale between house wings

Allan’s photo: Acer Palmatum ‘Ukigumo’ (Floating Clouds Japanese Maple) with Cyrtomium Falcatum (Holly Fern) below

tour guests

The bright sun belied the icy cold north wind and made photos a bit difficult (the sun, not the wind). Looking north

north side of driveway

photo by Kathleen Shaw

 

photo by Kathleen Shaw

south side of upper driveway

I walked around the south side of the house to view the evergreen huckleberry glade by the bay.

Vaccinium ovatum (evergreen huckleberry)

The Ladies in Waiting next to the garage

Allan and Todd

Todd, Steve, and me…it was windy! (Allan’s photo)

Todd, Kathleen, and Steve

Todd had minded the garden while Steve and John gave their opening lecture for the event, and he is holding the notebook with Steve and John’s meticulous garden plans.  It was a treat for me, vicariously, that this tour had brought plantspeople together.

Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’

local botanist Kathleen Sayce and Steve

Allan’s photo:  Rhododendron loderi

Allan’s photo: Rhododendron ‘Mango Tango’

 

Chamaecyparis ‘Green Arrow’ and Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’

Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’

Euphorbia griffithii

hosta and mahonia

(right) Pittosporum with black stems

old rhodos dating back to Clarke Nursery times, and evergreen huckleberry

photo by Kathleen Shaw

Allan’s photo: “Leo’

Rhododendron ‘Mrs Horace Fogg’

Mrs Fogg and tour guests (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo because we cannot get enough of the lovely Mrs. Fogg

Allan’s photo (An admirably crisp edge to all the garden beds represents a lot of work)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo, Steve with tour guests

Photos of John escaped us this time; he was off in a different area showing guests around and answering questions.  I did get to greet him at one moment and we had to leave before he had time to say hi to Allan.

“across the pond to a fragrant rhodie”, photo by Kathleen Shaw

“The fragrance was lovely.” photo by Kathleen Shaw

photo by Kathleen Shaw

the cryptomeria grove

Rhododendron ‘Arneson Gem’ backed with ‘Fire Rim’

at the west end of the old irrigation pond

Barclay house in background

showing both houses

north side of pond

pond garden

Steve guiding tour guests

We would love to have stayed and visited with John, Steve, and Todd…but two more gardens called and I had told Mary and Denny we would try to be tour guides for part of the afternoon at Klipsan Beach Cottages.  It was beginning to seem we’d be lucky to get there before the tour ended.

the glorious entry drive on the way out