Matt's Succulent Garden at Sherman Library and Gardens

Matt Maggio · #1 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 07:32 PM

Hi Everyone,

If you ever find yourself in southern Orange County please stop by Sherman Library and Gardens for the Succulent Collection, as well as others. The size of the grounds - a mere 2.5 acres - doesn't itself garner much attention, but the quality should. Overall, it makes for a relaxing afternoon.
These photos have been taken in the years following my renovation of the succulent section in 2006. Since then, the garden has become my baby. The following photos are selected from my album titled "Matt's Garden - Sherman Library and Gardens"

I may post more of my work later

Thanks,

Matt

Allen Repashy · #2 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 08:36 PM

That looks Fantastic Matt! ... I definitely feel the need to go check it out... ! Thanks for taking the time to share the pics... Let me know when your ready to start on my seven acres

GBock · #3 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 08:48 PM

Matt,

Wow!! Absolutely beautiful. In what capacity are you involved? Are you a volunteer, or actually employed by Sherman Library and Gardens?

Very impressive work. I'd happily live the rest of my days in the middle of all these plants!

Gerhard

GBock · #4 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen Repashy

Let me know when your ready to start on my seven acres

Seven acres! I have exactly 1/38th of that. Which is why I have to severely limit what buy. Anything with an adult size under 2 ft is good

.

Gerhard

Matt Maggio · #5 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 01:45 AM

Thanks guys,

Yes, I was employed full time during the renovation. Now, I have a 1/month retainer position for all necessary tune-ups. Occasionally, however, I return for a week or so to spruce up certain areas. This autumn, for example, I will perform additional work on the mesembs and echeverias.

-Matt

Tim Harvey · #6 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 01:47 AM

I'm impressed Matt! Until I saw this, I just thought you scarred plants in your van on weekends

T

Matt Maggio · #7 (**permalink**) 08-28-2009, 01:32 PM

Thanks Tim,

I'll probably find some maimed and tortured plants this weekend. The weather is much too xeric here in the Valley! That's why I'm indoors making photo albums

Matt

Rosemarie · #8 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 12:11 AM

Absolutely wonderful work you've done, Matt! Going to look for more pix!

Fred, SC · #9 (**permalink**) 12-28-2009, 09:29 PM

These are certainly some of the most beautiful and maintained grounds I have ever seen. My fiancee(wife by trip time)are coming out on a month-long driving trip to S. Cal. next year. I have been to the Huntington Botanical, but It seems I may have missed one of the best . I will try and get by the Sherman Library if I can.

rskusd · #10 (**permalink**) 09-06-2010, 07:33 PM

Beautiful work! Out of curiosity, did you use the soil that was there before the landscaping began or did you bring in new soil, amend the soil, etc.?

Thanks!

Ron

Matt Maggio · #11 (**permalink**) 09-07-2010, 11:38 PM

They had incorporated a lot of sand before I arrived on the scene, too much if you ask me. I subsequently had 25 cu. yards of 50/50 loam/pumice blend trucked in, that when mixed with the existing material, created a nice sandy loam. This formed the base material to which I varied the proportions of organic matter for various plant groupings (Mesembs, Echeverias and such).

BTW, if you're attending the 2011 CSSA Convention I will be leading a tour of this Garden. Plans are still coming together, but the tour will probably include a gourmet lunch at the Garden's restaurant - that's reason enough to attend, never mind the damn succulents

. Space is limited, so sign-up when the opportunity arises.

Shmuel · #12 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 12:49 PM

LOL, I just went through your new photos of this garden and then found these earlier shots. Really nice, Matt. A dream job.

Shmuel

How about posting some of the plant names - it is kind of like a xeric Sunset demonstration garden... (If you don't like Sunset, I meant it as a compliment.)

Shmuel

gregoryhwrd · #13 (**permalink**) 06-22-2011, 01:07 PM

I stopped by this place to check it out a few weeks ago when I was in Newport. It is inspiring, with all the agave popping out of piles of granite. There are even echeveria between the crevices of the stairs. What a great selection of plants. The ovatifolia is huge!

Matt Maggio · #14 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregoryhwrd

The ovatifolia is huge!

Thanks guys. Yeah, that ovatifolia really ballooned! I'm anxious to have it bloom so I can move on to something else

MM

palmbob · #15 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 04:01 PM

I visited the garden, too, last fall, and was inspired enough to write an article about on Davesgarden... but Matt's section blew all the rest of the gardens away (and it is a very nicely planted and managed gardens).

agavegreg · #16 (**permalink**) 06-23-2011, 08:40 PM

The A. ovatifolia is providing a bit of shade for those A. vic-reg's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Maggio

Thanks guys. Yeah, that ovatifolia really ballooned! I'm anxious to have it bloom so I can move on to something else

MM

Addictedtoagaves · #17 (**permalink**) 06-24-2011, 01:27 AM

What is the life expectancy of an A. ovatifolia grown in the ground from say a 5g size plant? Let's use Greg's place in Tucson as the example. Anyone know of a flowering event for a landscape plant yet?

Sorry to take this OT.

agavegreg · #18 (**permalink**) 06-24-2011, 06:55 PM

I believe the one of the plants originally brought in to Texas were planted in the mid 1980's and flowered in 2000? I think that one was at Peckerwood Garden. Carl might be able to help there. My plants were 3 gallons, planted in spring of 2004.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addictedtoagaves

What is the life expectancy of an A. ovatifolia grown in the ground from say a 5g size plant? Let's use Greg's place in Tucson as the example. Anyone know of a flowering event for a landscape plant yet?

Sorry to take this OT.

VitkiktiV · #19 (**permalink**) 07-02-2011, 01:57 PM

Wow Mat what a job ! That garden looks amazing and a great inspiration, I'm busy building a 190 m2 bed in my garden that I originally wanted to plant with only Dioon, Agave, Hesperaloe and Yuccas, but after seeing your creation it opened the doors on some more species and genus of plants.

Addictedtoagaves · #20 (**permalink**) 07-02-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitkiktiV

Wow Mat what a job ! That garden looks amazing and a great inspiration, I'm busy building a 190 m2 bed in my garden that I originally wanted to plant with only Dioon, Agave, Hesperaloe and Yuccas, but after seeing your creation it opened the doors on some more species and genus of plants.

Wow, 190 m2 is pretty large. Start a thread and post some pics.

Matt Maggio · #21 (**permalink**) 07-24-2011, 04:39 AM

Here's some recent depictions of the Garden. One of our members will recognize a very special rock seen in one of the photos...

Thanks for viewing,

MM

VitkiktiV · #22 (**permalink**) 07-24-2011, 06:07 AM

Matt there are some interesting plants that I don't know, would you mind if I snag a few of these pictures to draw an arrow towards the plants and ask what they are ?