Every other week, Patrice Hanlon, garden manager at Walnut Creek’s Gardens at Heather Farm, writes about plants that grow well in the fertile Bay Area, giving the botanical history and cultivation requirements so you can decide for yourself whether this would be a welcome addition to your garden.
The Gardens at Heather Farm offer many quiet places for visitors. Most often the benches in the main part of the garden are occupied, but there are a few areas where benches are tucked away in quiet spots.
In the lower area of the East Bay Municipal Utility District water-wise garden, visitors can find tranquillity and beauty in this naturalistic setting.
Surrounded by valley oaks, the lower EBMUD garden is planted with species of California natives that do not require summer irrigation. Unlike the rose garden, it is not manicured; leaves are allowed to fall and decompose, adding nutrients to the plants that thrive in these conditions.
Set amongst these grand trees are native coral bells, columbines, currants, bush anemones and the beautiful Australian native fuchsia, Correa Ivory Bells.
The genus Correa is endemic to Australia and consists of 11 species, but Correa Ivory Bells has its roots in San Francisco. In the 1940s, plant breeder Victor Reiter Jr. created this hybrid plant by crossing two types of Correa: Correa alba and Correa backhousiana.
Correa Ivory Bells is a compact shrub that reaches a height and width of 3 to 4 feet. This low-maintenance, disease-free shrub has beautiful copper-colored hairy stems with oval blue-gray leaves. The creamy colored bell-shaped flowers light up the entire plant.
The underside of the leaves contain small hairs that give them a felted look. These tiny hairs are an adaptation that helps the plant retain moisture, as well as protecting it from insects that would eat the leaves.
At this time of year, beautiful buds that look like tiny acorns begin forming. The closed bud mimics the flower color, with hints of copper and ivory. Blooming begins in fall and continues throughout the winter, which is why it combines so well with the other winter blooming natives in this garden. Hummingbirds also rely on it for nectar during the colder parts of the year, when other food sources are scarce.
Autumn is just around the corner, and while many plants begin to fade, the Correa is in full bud. As the days grow shorter, Correa will continue to light up this part of the garden with its beautiful blossoms and foliage.
For more information about the Gardens at Heather Farm, visit http://www.gardenshf.org, or visit in person at 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek.
