People leaving the San Francisco Bay area for a vacation in the spring are often in search for dry and sunny destinations. One friend recently spent her escape from the rain in Kauai, Hawaii, in the rain forest, wet. New Mexico is always a good bet for finding sunshine and soaking in a little vitamin D. The charming town of Santa Fe has far more to offer than chilies and adobe for garden lovers. There are international influences, like antique garden art from far-flung places found at Seret and Sons and Ten Thousand Waves Spa that has exquisite Japanese style landscaping. The locavore movement is gaining steam, as the new restaurant Real Food Nation is growing their own produce right on the property and the beauty of the local flora is also a draw, and a new water-wise botanical garden is in the works.
Shopping
Seret And Sons
The engraved antique columns from India, hardwood doors from Afghanistan that can be re-purposed into outdoor tables, tiled fountains and table tops make this emporium of antiques from India, Pakistan, Tibet, & Peru a wonderland. Browse the many courtyards and showrooms and be prepared for delights at every turn. They aren't cheap, but one piece from here could be the "wow" factor for any garden.
Collected Works Bookstore
This Santa Fe Plaza area mainstay has moved and expanded. They don't have a garden, but the large windows and airy feel of the place feels like a lovely atrium. You can sit at one of the patio tables or sink into a big couch by the fireplace and sip a latte and thumb through your favorite gardening magazine or newly released books. There is loads of sun and light, and some wonderful art books with of course, many by Georgia O'Keeffe.
The Spa
This Santa Fe institution is one of the best deals in the country. The spa's grounds are Japanese inspired and everything from the wooden walkway weaving through the pine forest, the courtyard with a Koi pond, waterfall, and tiered levels that lead off into the various private, communal, or women only spa areas have a subtle elegance and calming effect.
For just $18.00 you can spend the day in the sauna's and hot tub, drinking cucumber water and herbal tea and soaking in vitamin D from the sun. The truly artful landscaping here, however, is the way in which the spa areas open to the mountains and forests in this area and the experiencing is not just relaxing, but due to the natural beauty, can be awe-inspiring as well.
The Restaurants
Real Food Nation
This new eatery is located a little out of town, but well worth the trip. They have a greenhouse and a few acres of crops in production, but what they don't grow, they source from local, organic farmers, and I even spotted beef from California's Niman Ranch on menu. They have an outdoor patio, a playroom for children, and big communal tables indoors. It's truly a restaurant meant for the local community, and the food is fresh and creative, with healthy salads of quinoa & spelt, as well as hearty sandwiches and entrée's--and for chili lovers, you will find them here as well in the breakfast burritos and chicken enchiladas.
Harry's Roadhouse Santa Fe (96 Old Las Vegas Highway Santa Fe, NM 87505-9367
Harry's Roadhouse in Santa Fe is landscaped by one of my favorite garden designers in the world, Lonnie Zamora. Go see his magic and dine in the courtyard surrounded by junipers and lush flower gardens. The place is quirky and laid back, but the food is taken very seriously. Dine on grilled-salmon tacos and smoked chicken quesadillas, or pork chops with peach salsa and a side of grits. For breakfast they have blue corn waffles and lemon-ricotta pancakes.
The Hotel
La Posada de Santa Fe Inn and Spa
This hotel is a New Mexico classic. The rooms are in adobe casitas connected by meandering paths. Rustic woodwork, Saltillo textiles, and bold viga beams are part of the classic décor, and the open air patios, the large sculptures by Santa Fe artists, and the tasteful garden designs make this a great place for travelers who like a nice flow between interior and exterior.
Coming Soon
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden at Museum Hill
Gardening in the high desert, of course brings it's own challenges and mostly it's a lack of water and lots of blazing sun and cold winter nights. The Botanical Garden at Museum Hill will be 12 acres, with most restored to natural arroyo, and three acres developed into the centerpiece. The water-wise garden will include natives, but also ornamental plants that have withstood the test of time in Santa Fe. The plantings will range from a Low Water Meadow to a Super Xeric Garden.