Piece of Eden truly is a slice of paradise (part 1)

The first destination on my recent trip to Southern California was a slice of succulent paradise: a
Piece of Eden, one might say. Many of you will recognize the name: Piece of Eden is Hoover Boo’s popular blog about her garden in Orange County. If you’ve followed Piece of Eden over the years, you know how much work has gone into transforming what could have been a typical (i.e. boring) suburban garden into a showcase for water-wise plants. Yes, there are many succulents, but Hoover Boo also gravitates towards plants from other Mediterranean climate zones around the world, including shrubs from South Africa and Australia. Her plant palette is so much in line with my own taste that I’d like to think, somewhat grandiosely maybe, that my garden would look much like hers if I lived in the same climate (zone 10a, no frost to speak of).

What curb appeal! My shoebox of a car notwithstanding.

But the ½ acre property didn’t always look like that. When Hoover and her husband, known to readers of her blog as Beloved, bought the house 17+ years ago, there was bare dirt. Over years of hard work, they created the lush yet water-efficient landscaping you see today.

I took so many photos so that I will split this post into two parts. This part covers the driveway, the back, and the front garden inside the wall. Part 2 will be about the succulent showcase along the street.

Let’s start with the plantings to the left of the driveway:

Aloidendron ‘Hercules’. The agaves behind it are Agave desmettiana ‘Joe Hoak’.
You’ll see many of them all over the garden.

Grevillea ‘Superb’ flowers year round in Orange County’s gentle climate.

Look at how lush this Dymondia margaretae “lawn” is!

Phylica pubescens, another beauty from South Africa

Awesome combo: Aloe brevifolia and hairy canary clover (Dorycnium hirsutum)

Aloe ‘Rooikappie’ and Agave desmettiana ‘Joe Hoak’

One of the newest and most coveted grevillea introductions: Grevillea ‘King’s Fire’

More Agave desmettiana ‘Joe Hoak’. Hoover ended up with dozens of bulbils from her original plant that have now turned into adults themselves.

Agave formerly known as gypsophila, now Agave pablocarilloi. This is a variegated selection sold as ‘Ivory Curls’.

This photo gives you a better view of the steep slope on the west side of the driveway

Early morning view from the balcony of the guest room. I’d love to wake up to this every day!

Grevillea ‘Superb’

This is the gate to the front courtyard:

Hoover is a rose lover, and while she’s removed many of the years, there are still quite a few left

Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’

Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ and Sedum morganum in a nook by the front door

Dymondia margaretae filling in between flagstones. Such a simple design, yet so elegant.

Another Aloidendron ‘Hercules’

Same tree aloe just after sunrise

Nice place to sit in the front courtyard, right across from the front door

Protea cynaroides ‘Mini King’

Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’

On to the areas behind the house:


	This is another photo of the west slope. I found it hard to accurately capture how steep it is. Water would run right off, but Hoover has added plenty of mulch to slow down the runoff.

Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’

Aloe thraskii and Aloe rubroviolacea

Aloe hardyi × cameronii

Back of the house

Looking towards the west slope. The aloe is the Aloe thraskii from the photo above.

Agave attenuata ‘Kara’s Stripe’ or ‘Kara’s Choice’

Agave attenuata ‘Variegata’

Koi pond outside the living room

I had a hard time getting a good photo of the koi. They always swam away from me.

The fern growing in the planter on top of this wall was a volunteer that arrived on the wind. What a serendipitous coincidence!

A particularly nicely colored flap-jack plant (Kalanchoe luciae). I received one as a gift in the fall and have vowed to use in more places in my own garden.