One Lucky Guy

I have been at my new job for about 5 weeks now, and after spending the first week or two in a constant state of being overwhelmed, now I get a break from that feeling every so often.  At these moments I can look around, pinch myself, and say that I am fortunate to work where I do. So I thought I would share with you a little bit of what I get to see every day.

This fountain is the centerpiece of Baker Perennial Garden, and there are a series of concentric gardens surrounding it.  The hardscape is formal, the plantings are not.

Chrysanthemum 'Cambodian Queen'

Salvia microphylla 'Wild Watermelon'

The plant below is Leonotis leonurus or lion's ear.  Despite being native to southern Africa, it is hardy for us here in zone 8.  Being crazy for orange, I am going to have to get one for my own garden, I just don't know what will be pulled out to make room for it.

Leonotis is also planted in the Humming Bird Garden, where it acts as a colorful background for other things.

Delosperma 'Kelaidis'

Callicarpa japonica 'Heavy Berry' (Japanese beautyberry)

Salvia involucrata, roseleaf sage

The rich back-lit foliage belongs to Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head', which has proven to be perennial here in the right location.

Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph

We have a wonderful children's garden, which also has some unusual plants, but these in the picture are not, though I liked the way they looked together.  The yellow tree is Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) and the burgundy foliage is Loropetalum chinensis.

We are in the middle of pulling out our summer annuals and popping in things that can take cool weather.  This is Lantana in the front (sorry I don't know which cultivar) and Cassia alata in the back, both of which have numbered days.

Several areas of the garden are devoted to our local native plant communities, and some of the earliest fall color is starting there.  The color below is from a tree most gardeners consider a scourge due to its messy fruit, but sweetgum (Liquidambar straciflua) is worth putting up with for its fall color.

I am sure you will continue to see more of Norfolk Botanical Garden on this blog, but if you want to see more of the photos I took this weekend, you can click here for the complete set on Flickr.