Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden - Palo Alto, California

Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden - Palo Alto, California

About the Garden
Gamble Garden is a 2.5-acre haven in Palo Alto that is open to the public for free every day, and has been for over 30 years. From California Natives, to the Mediterranean Garden, to the Victorian outdoor garden room, the grounds feature plants from around the world.
 
The Garden Club of Palo Alto succeeded with the Palo Alto City Council approving to lease the estate to the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden in 1985. The non-profit garden foundation has since restored the formal grounds to the original plans, and brought the working gardens into modern-day by providing a horticultural reference library, hundreds of classes, events and children’s programs throughout the year, and hosting an annual Spring Tour.
 
“Beauty as inspiration and endless opportunities for people of all ages. This is a story about stewardship, investing in nature, and taking big risks.” Lucy Tolmach, Former Director of Horticulture at Filoli, has recognized Gamble Garden as “a treasure from the past.”
 
The Main House and Carriage House were built in 1902 for the Gamble family, of Procter & Gamble. It was the first house constructed south of Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto, with the exception of Seale Ranch. In 1971, Elizabeth F. Gamble gave the estate to the City of Palo Alto. Her gardens became known throughout the community and she has shared them generously for decades.

About the Camellia Collection
Total number of camellia plants:   61
Number of distinct camellia cultivars or species: 50 +

Miss Gamble purchased many of her camellias and rhododendrons from Toichi Domoto, a Japanese-American pioneer camellia grower and world class hybridizer whose family had a nursery in Hayward, California. The Domotos imported camellias and azaleas from Japan in the 1920s and 1930s under perilous conditions.
 
In 1939, Miss Gamble purchased a Camellia japonica ‘Kumasaka.’ It is one of the oldest camellias in continuous culture. Kumasaka was clearly recorded in Japan in 1695 and thrives in Gamble Garden today. Three heritage camellias purchased by Miss Gamble still exist in the garden: Camellia japonica ‘Shiragiku’ (Purity) 1695, Camellia japonica ‘Usu-otome’ (Pink Perfection) 1875, and Camellia japonica ‘Hikaru Genji’ (Brilliant Genji) 1859. As part of the Heritage Plant project to return as many of the plants to the garden that are known to have been in the original garden in the early part of the 20th century, the garden located and purchased seven more heritage camellia japonicas, including the incredibly beautiful ‘Grandiflora Rosea’ 1890, one of the oldest japonicas in cultivation ‘Alba Pena’ 1792, and one Camellia sasanqua ‘Apple Blossom’.
 
Two heritage camellia cuttings were donated from the American Camellia Society’s own gardens as they were no longer available for purchase: Camellia japonica ‘Imperator’ 1908, and Camellia japonica ‘Mikenjaku’ (‘Nagasaki’) 1859.
 
We have a lovely collection of camellias; heritage, species, and modern that are listed in inventory. Gamble Garden is honored to be included as one of the American Camellia Society Trail Gardens, and we invite you to come and see our historic early 20th century California garden.


Inventory
Japonicas
Camellia japonica 'Adolphe Audusson' 1877
Camellia japonica 'Alba Plena' 1792
Camellia japonica 'Bella  Romana'
Camellia japonica 'Berenice Boddy'
Camellia japonica 'C.M. Wilson'
Camellia japonica 'Carter's Sunburst'
Camellia japonica 'Chie Tarumoto'
Camellia japonica 'Clark Hubbs'
Camellia japonica 'Conrad Hilton'
Camellia japonica 'Covina'
Camellia japonica 'Dahlonega'
Camellia japonica 'Daikagura' (Great Sacred Dance) 1851
Camellia japonica 'Ed Combatalade'
Camellia japonica 'Elegans' (Chandleri Elegans Pink) 1831
Camellia japonica 'Elena Nobile' 1881
Camellia japonica 'Eureka'
Camellia japonica 'Finlandia Blush'
Camellia japonica 'Francine' 1860  (Chandleri Elegans Pink variegated, Pride of the Emperor's  Garden)
Camellia japonica 'Grandiflora Rosea' 1890
Camellia japonica 'Grape Soda'
Camellia japonica 'Hagoromo' (Feathered Robe) 1695 (Cho No Hagasane)
Camellia japonica 'Hana Fuki'
Camellia japonica 'Harriet Beecher Sheather'
Camellia japonica 'Hikaru Genji' (Brilliant Genji) 1859
Camellia japonica 'Holly Bright'
Camellia japonica 'Imperator' 1908
Camellia japonica 'Kramer's Supreme'
Camellia japonica 'Kumasaka' 1695
Camellia japonica 'Margaret Higdon'
Camellia japonica 'Mikenjaku' (Nagasaki) 1859
Camellia japonica 'Moonlight Bay'
Camellia japonica 'Pink Frost'
Camellia japonica 'Pink Lace'
Camellia japonica 'Pink Wings'
Camellia japonica 'Prima Ballerina'
Camellia japonica 'R.L. Wheeler'
Camellia japonica 'Romany' (Belgium Red) 1937
Camellia japonica 'Royal Velvet'
Camellia japonica 'Shiragiku' (Purity) 1695
Camellia japonica 'Shiro Chan' 1953
Camellia japonica 'Silver Cloud'
Camellia japonica 'Side Kakushi' (Lotus) 1879
Camellia japonica 'Usu-otome' (Pink Perfection) 1875
 
Sasanquas
Camellia sasanqua 'Fukuzutsumi' (Apple Blossom)
Camellia sasanqua  'Mine No Yuki'  (Snow on the Mountain Peak)
Camellia sasanqua 'Shibori Egao'
 
Reticulatas
Camellia reticulata 'Confucius'
Camellia reticulata 'Emma Gaeta'
Camellia reticulata 'Francie L.'
Camellia reticulata 'Pagoda'
Camellia hybrid 'Coral Delight'
 
Camellia species: 10
Total number of camellia plants: 61
Number of distinct camellia cultivars or species: 50+