City of Long Beach
Long Beach planters For about ten years, the city of Long Beach planters were created by volunteers. Because it's difficult for volunteers to keep the planters looking good 12 months of the year, the city hired us to do almost all of the planters starting in 2009. Now they have more of a theme (Cosmos sonata and Painted Sage being heavily featured in summer, and a show of spectacular tulips in April and May) but still retain some of the individuality of the original volunteers.
one of the original planters
by Tangly Cottage
Sam Lund's planter features
trailing nasturiums
Anne Ekren designed
this traditional planting
Joe, son of city planner
Nabiel Shawa, designed
this planting
planter by Mike and Camille Kitzman
We have planted Crocosmia 'Lucifer' in many planters. They bloom like fireworks around the Fourth of July.
Long Beach parks Long Beach is dedicated to beautification. From south to north, a string of mini parks feature with interesting plants. First, on Pacific Way, a quadrant of parks by Marsh's Free Museum: One side has beautiful tiled obelisks by Renee O'Connor; the other, the famous giant clam and frying pan and a waterfall pool backed with a giant gunnera.
tourists enjoy the gardens
the park has winter interest with sedums, grasses, and rosehips
the famous giant clam and pan
A block north, Gazebo Park has a collection of rhododendrons, and on the other side of the street, a large planter with bulbs, annuals, and perennials, a Lewis and Clark sculpture, and just half a block north, the entrance to Summer Fest has a pocket garden on either side.
Robert's iron railing keeps
sitters off the planter
spring bulbs near
Lewis and Clark Square
Just north of the Dennis Company hardware store is Coulter Park, with lawns and picnic tables, surrounded by borders of roses, hard fuchsias, barberries, and perennials.
The parks are linked by a procession of street trees underplanted with mini gardens.
On Boulevard, a block to the west, a series of tiny gardens runs along the east side: the gardens surrounding city hall, and what we call "pop outs" in the sidewalks, with collections of ornamental grasses and hardy plants and bulbs.
entrance to City Hall
early bulbs in the pop outs
spring bulbs in the big pop out
Long Beach beach approach Walking west on Bolstadt Avenue from the famous Long Beach arch to the beach, you'll enjoy the diverse planting of wind, salt, and drought tolerant plants in the Beach Approach garden. Interspersed with some of the volunteer planters is a combination of wildflowers, annuals, and choice perennials. We provide volunteers with a list of beachy plants.
species tulips in March
a wealth of poppies
poppies in planters and
in the garden
early spring narcissi and tulips
wild blue vetch
salvia and sweet alyssum
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