After our big walk yesterday we weren't necessarily contemplating another long one today, but that's how it turned out. It took a fair hike back to the university campus, and then onwards and upwards to reach the University of California Botanical Gardens. It was a little cold and windy when we reached there, and Sophie later told us that the climate on Panorama Hill can be significantly different from Berkeley central. However, we set off around the various tracks through the gardens, which featured plants from most of the continents in the world. The glasshouse containing succulents and cacti was particularly impressive.
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| Weird light for the succulents |
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| Another little Jane Morgan building |
The gardens were extensive and interesting, rather more casual than many others we've visited, which was nice. There was even an Australasian section with rimu, kauri, hebes and the tallest flax we've ever seen.
The four hour round trip back to A&S's place left us feeling a little hungry, though we'd taken sandwiches with us. We weren't keen on spending big money on coffees again, so opted for an ice-block instead. Nice but surprisingly pricey.
Our explorations over the last few days have given us some good ideas of what plants would suit and survive in A&S's garden. They are very keen to overhaul it. It's not a big space but there is very little in it. Their leasor says they can do anything they want. John spent quite a lot of time in the afternoon Googling plants and where to source them. There is a Tool Library here in Berkeley so we can loan a tree saw for the weekend along with any other tools we'll need. This weekend is promising to include a Garden Working Bee!
Dinner tonight was excellent. We were going to go to a pizza place again, but Sophie thought Ethiopian might be better. She had spent time there in her past and Ethiopian food is one of her favorites. It was indeed delicious. We ordered 4 mixed dishes to share - all finger food which you scoop up in injera, a slightly spongy pancake-like bread made from fermented teff flour. It was all really good, full of spices and each flavour different from the others.
A bonus was finding a lovely old oak swivel desk chair on the footpath with a "free" sign on it. Alastair tucked it away in the yard and on Googling it when we returned home found it was a 19th century banker's chair, worth about 1000USD! Amazing.
