Through the Looking Glass
The super silvery leaf of Brahea nitida, native to the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico.
The magical world of Aloes in Wonderland
Written by Thomas Cole | Photographs by Micheal Haber
Tucked into the eastern end of Santa Barbara’s Riviera lies Aloes in Wonderland, one of the more unusual horticultural destinations on the South Coast. The brainchild of Jeff Chemnick, this five-acre private botanic garden and nursery overflows with a mind-blowing array of exceptional plants. Blessed with a southeast-facing property in a unique microclimate and an entrepreneurial passion, he has built Aloes in Wonderland into one of our premier garden destinations.
“Our climate allows us to grow these otherworldly species.”
Chemnick’s excitement spills over as he leads you along twisting paths filled with masses of blooming aloes and stunning cycads. A much-appreciated stalwart of the Santa Barbara garden scene, Chemnick for years was known primarily as the cycad guy. “I was a horticultural one-trick pony,” he laughs, “though repeated botanical trips across the world opened my eyes to the sheer diversity of succulent or xerophytic plants. I saw a need and opportunity for these types of plants in Santa Barbara, so I began growing many of them.”
Pressed to explain this passion, Chemnick says that part of the plants’ appeal is based on radial symmetry. “Aloes, cycads, palms, and agave all share this basic architectural genetic code. That’s what makes them so beautiful. There’s something primal, almost a religious experience in what these plants evoke. I think we’re drawn to those patterns and these plants that don’t look like what’s next door. Our climate allows us to grow these otherworldly species. Aloes in Wonderland offers plants that are a departure from convention.”
“Aloes, cycads, palms, and agave all share this basic architectural genetic code. That’s what makes them so beautiful. There’s something primal, almost a religious experience in what these plants evoke.”
Chemnick confides that he feels the aloe is the quintessential plant genus for Santa Barbara—architectural, drought resistant, fire tolerant, and with a profusion of yearly flowers. With more than 600 different species, there are aloes to fit every garden size. “Everybody can create a garden. We might be limited by space and budget, but the imagination is boundless. Even the most modest garden can be a work of art with the right plants.”
Santa Barbara’s optimal growing conditions, abundance of unique plant material, and concentration of horticultural expertise allows us to push these plant boundaries in our gardens. Aloes in Wonderland provides the template. •
