I had no expectations for our two-night getaway to the Central Coast beyond touring Hearst Castle, but ended up discovering much horticultural splendor, mooned over ocean sunsets and ate great food. The plants I saw along the way made the experience that much richer for me.
As a gardener and nursery junkie, I’m always on the lookout for cool plants. Sure, WRH built an obscenely fancy estate on top of a hill with a view of the Pacific… but the palms… oaks… succulents… bougainvillea… and fuchsias! To me, they are as much of reason to tour Hearst Castle as the staggeringly ornate architecture.
There is something magical in the quality of light up there. It was sunny and the sky was deep, deep blue, but everything blooming on the ground was in Technicolor. And in the late afternoon, a warm blush descended on the landscape, making it even more dreamlike.
Hearst Castle
Hotel/Motel landscaping on Moonstone Drive in Cambria
Happy Accident! It’s Cambria’s annual Scarecrow Festival!
Barefootin’!
Ooh, what will this be? A garden gift shop?
And what have we here? I love this place!
Don’t you wish your gas station looked like this?!
San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
Turn that car around!
Gardens by Gabriel!
At first I thought this must be a new construction bungalow, but it’s actually a restoration. You can read more about it here, at Plant Propaganda. The house and landscaping are magnificent.
cambria scarescrow festival, hearst castle, moonstone drive, san luis obispo botanical garden, san simeon
San Simeon & Cambria are a kick.