San Francisco
by Jane on September 24th, 2010
On my latest trip to San Francisco this month, I headed south past the bustling ballpark on the Embarcadero and turned left down Third Street to Hunter’s Point—a neighborhood not at all known for its beauty, architecture, or gardens. Nevertheless, it felt somewhat untouched by modern development, which had a certain quaintness to it.
Nestled deep within this unassuming concrete jungle lies Flora Grubb—a garden center extraordinaire! Exotic plants, living in unexpected and glorious containers; furniture full of color; wonderfully informative assistants to advise and amuse; and even coffee and a quiet corner for reflection. Flora Grubb makes and sells exquisite succulent wall features—actual living walls full of life and vitality. Create or commission one of these, and you will be the envy of the neighborhood.
Later on in my San Francisco visit, I found myself walking the hills in Pacific Heights. Here, grand houses sit on top of the hill with the most magnificent views of the Bay. It seems that most every one of these houses has beautifully-maintained and articulated gardens, which are deeply suited to match the imposing houses.
I was taken to Pacific Heights on a mission to climb the Lyon Street steps with my daughter and grandson (easy for them). As I was catching my breath half way up the 3-block long stretch of stairs, I glanced up to find the most enchanting spring garden on the slope, right there for all to enjoy. It was a beautiful gift for all passerby, and I so appreciated it. A garden full of color, secretly urging me on to climb the rest of the steps.
The “living wall” concept has really taken off here in the SF Bay area. Many of the restaurants that focus on local sourcing and organic produce have started adding living walls to their environment. The Flora Grubb example above is stunning!
Living in the San Francisco bay area we get used to green abundance. What she has taken from the living wall, and other elements from SF are the essential oils, the core aura….these get integrated into ideas the reflect the goals of her clients with style and elegance no matter where they are.
Having been fortunate to be able to sit in her personal garden a few weeks ago, I saw all of this embodied.
wow.
Thanks for the eye-opener on the living walls. What a glorious garden canvas! And, like a piece of art, it gets one thinking. Is gravity friend or foe – would the wall feature need taking down to maintain and water? Where could it hang – could indoors work? And how will it change over time? Is it something to take on DIY – or is it more an installation one buys? Grateful for the moment to ponder. I’ve heard about Flora Grubb so will definitely drop by to find out more.
I live in the Bay Area and am still trying to get over to Flora Grubb because I think their approach to urban gardens is so exciting! Thanks to Jane for reminding me of such a great resource in my own backyard.
What an inspiration! Flora Grubb reminds me that one doesn’t need a large outdoor space to enjoy and experience the outdoors. It just takes a little creativity to incorporate nature, plants, flowers and life into a small, urban space. Thanks Jane!