I have been to Cornerstone in Sonoma not to long after Sunset moved their test gardens there. At that time not all the gardens were set up. So I decided it was time to revisit and see what gardens had been added and ones of Cornerstone I might have missed.
These are just 3 of the many I saw that day which are considered Cornerstone Gardens. In the Sunset Test Gardens, there were workers so I didn't get a chance to see if any new gardens that had been added.
The Eucalyptus Soliloquy Garden, this garden has large panels with the Eucalyptus leaves placed inside of them. One of the many uses of the Eucalyptus was as wind break (unfortunately these trees have a disease and a lot of them have been cut down). At the entrance to this garden the sign says “Immigrant Tree, the tree is a native of Australia I guess the sign was posted to make people aware of its native country.
The next interesting garden was a field of plastic pinwheels. These pinwheels are group in colors of red, green, yellow, blue and purple. The pinwheels register sunshine, rain, wind. A microclimate area. Also they are very colorful, especially when the wind blows them. They all do not move at the same time, depending on the movement and place of the wind.
Rise is the name of a garden that has a huge walk-thru culvert. Through this culvert you see a vineyard and the hills in the background, you can hear your voice echo as you are walking inside the culvert. “Rise” is surrounds by a variety of shrubs in a shades of green.
If you have not been to Cornerstone and visited their gardens and the Sunset Test gardens, take the short drive to see and enjoy what the gardens represent.