Thank you .. ‘Dirt du Jour’

for the glowing review! "Go ask Alice ... where all the best vineyard gardens are. She's an erudite charmer; you'll have fun!"
California Wine Country

Raymond Vineyards ~ Wine Tasting Joie de Vivre

A satisfying afternoon combined garden touring and tasting fine wines at Raymond Vineyards ~ ruby red Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. I awoke with a smile on my face the next morning, still savoring the aftereffects of a heady joie de vivre that characterizes a visit to this St. Helena winery.

Theater of Nature © Alice Joyce

The spirited ambiance emerging throughout the Raymond property is colored by the elegance and humor of CEO Jean-Charles Boisset of Boisset Family Estates, the driving force behind the Vineyard’s insightful use of solar power, its commitment to organic farming methods, and a lavish aesthetic sensibility. Receiving kudos for Cabernet Sauvignons distinguished by a silky depth, Raymond Vineyards recently garnered the Wine Enthusiast ‘2012 American Winery of the Year’ award.

Unique tasting opportunities at this Napa Valley destination are designed to excite all the senses: Consider reserving an unparalleled offering ~ Raymond’s velvet draped, Baccarat embellished Red Room.

Raymond Vineyards ‘Frenchie’ detail © Alice Joyce

Stroll through the  extensive biodynamic gardens and you’ll come upon a “shady dog suite’ … aka Domaine Frenchie!

A perfect place to park your pooch.

‘Frenchie Winery’ © Alice Joyce

Take a self-guided tour of the lovely Theater of Nature gardens – no reservation required – to learn about distinctive elements of the organic and biodynamic guiding principles. Among the topics you’ll learn about: Building soil, nurturing goats, chickens and sheep, and planting to attract beneficial insects.

Theater of Nature – Courtesy Raymond Vineyards

RAYMOND Flow Fountain © Alice Joyce

Flow fountains like the one pictured are an integral aspect of biodynamic gardens, designed to move water in a vortex motion that replicates the infinity symbol.

Raymond Exterior Courtesy Raymond Vineyards

Winery displays celebrate the multifaceted sensory pleasures of wine. Below: An array of aromas to increase awareness of the complexity you might experience in a fine glass of wine; floral and spicy, fruity, earthy and spicy.

Aroma Display Photo Courtesy Raymond Vineyards

The Crystal Experience is one of the sparkling spaces at Raymond Vineyards. The glittery decor casts an enticing, theatrical spell; icing on the cake, so to speak, as you enjoy a tasting while learning about the art of decanting wine.

Raymond Crystal Cellar ~ Courtesy Raymond Vineyards

Comments are closed   California Wine Country, Wine Tasting   ,  
Botanical Gardens

San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers

A detailed restoration true to the roots of its historic architecture sets apart the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park,  a glorious structure standing as the country’s oldest public glass and wood greenhouse.  You’ll doubtless find it easy to spend hours roaming through the Lowland Tropics and Highland Tropics rooms teeming with rarities both towering and tiny. Tropical specimens in the moist environs of the lowland gallery include a 100 year-old philodendron and ‘economic’ plants like bananas reaching skyward.

Potted Plants Gallery © Alice Joyce

I’m drawn to the lush Victorian displays in the Potted Plants gallery, with its wooden arbor acting as a focal point that draws visitors to enter and explore arrays of fabulous foliage and flowering species.

The current exhibit beguiles with an educational foray into the life cycle of butterflies and moths. The atmosphere is pure magic, as butterflies swoop and flutter about the gallery. One sweet creature landed on my hand and rested there for minutes until I made a slight movement. In a case filled with butterfly and moth pupa, visitors may observe the transformation taking place when a chrysalis begins to vibrate, and an adult emerges.

S F Conservatory Butterflies and Blooms © Alice Joyce

My visit coincided with a very special get-together …

The Garden Bloggers Fling 2013 celebrated a delectable dinner gathering in the Conservatory’s event space.

The Conservatory of Flowers provided a perfect setting for the group, coming together from near and far to relax after the Fling’s first day in the City by the Bay. A brilliant evening … enjoyed by all!

San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers

Exotic orchids abound…

Orchid © Alice Joyce

Overhead in the Aquatic Plants gallery, a beautiful rendition of the giant Amazon water lily, Victoria amazonica ~ hovers in space;  an eye-catching sculptural highlight of the gallery.

Victoria amazonica Water Lily Sculpture © Alice Joyce

These wondrous lily pads can grow to 8 feet in diameter; one of the wonders of the tropical watershed.

SF Conservatory of Flowers © Alice Joyce

Verdant displays offer delightful experiences in each of the Conservatory’s gallery rooms.

Anthurium cultivar © Alice Joyce

Shown below on the right: A living green wall constructed by Chris Bribach ~ Plants On Walls ~ welcomes you upon entering the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. The colorful, textural expanse of flora creates just the right note as visitors prepare to experience the communities of plants awaiting inside each of the five distinctive galleries.

Conservatory Green Wall © Alice Joyce

 

Butterflies Blooms Exhibit © Alice Joyce

 

2 comments - (Comments are closed)   Botanical Gardens, San Francisco   ,  
Desert Travel

Eerie Vision: The Salton Sea

After leaving Palm Springs…

Palm Springs Sunset Photo © Alice Joyce

My desert sojourn to Anza-Borrego State Park followed a route along California State Highway 86, to enter the park and the town of Borrego Springs from the  eastern entrance.

Salton Sea Blue Sky © Alice Joyce

The drive along Hwy. 86 runs nearly parallel to the western edge of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley, past Desert Shores and Salton Sea Beach; desolate towns that time seems to have passed by.

Salton Sea © Alice Joyce

A State Recreation Area, the Salton Sea SRA Parks web site lists budget constraints as the reason for the closing until further notice of Bombay Beach and other areas located on the opposite side, where Hwy. 111 runs along a stretch of parkland. A unique inland body of water some 200 feet below sea level, the strangely eerie Salton Sea resulted from massive flooding of the Colorado River more than 100 years ago.

Salton Sea – Photo: wikispaces

Read more… the next stop on my desert sojourn.

2 comments - (Comments are closed)   Desert Travel, National Parks, Nature, Southern California   , ,  
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