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coauthoring a book on the cycads of Mexico, due to be published in 2018, and he’s also a member of the IUCN’s (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Cycad Specialist Group, which tracks the status of endangered cycads around the world. Cycads are also drought tolerant, and these sculp- tural, typically slow-growing plants have another bonus feature: “Cycads are toxic, so gophers don’t eat them,” says Jeff. “Gophers generally don’t like most of the plants I grow.” Another unique feature common to many of the plants in Jeff’s garden is radial symmetry, where the leaves encircle a central axis. Plant patterns have always fascinated Jeff. He points out the Fibonacci spiral of a cycad cone. The Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical sequence in which every number is the sum of the two preceding ones, occurs through- out nature, from nautilus shells and pinecones to hurricanes and spiral galaxies. Jeff explains that in the world of botany, it’s the most efficient way for plants to arrange their seeds and leaves. “For a lot of people that holds a tremendous amount of fascination. Even to ancient people, a lot of these plants were revered; they were thought to be holy or imbued with special significance.” Jeff fondly recalls being captivated as a child by the spiral- ing petals on a calendula bloom, a moment that was perhaps an important catalyst for his lifelong passion. “I remember being profoundly impressed by that pattern,” he smiles. Turns out that distinc- tive pattern is also a feature of many fire-retardant, drought-tolerant plants. Firescaping Besides aloes, cactus is one of Jeff’s favorite succu- lent plant families for firescaping. Their flowers pro- vide a splash of color, and their formidable spikes and sharp edges are also excellent for security when planted around the house. “So you have the look of the plant and this amazing living barrier,” says Jeff. As for plants he doesn’t recommend? “You don’t want eucalyptus trees and pepper trees,” he says. Paul Mills, curator of Living Collections at Lotus- land, shares Jeff’s passion for cactus and succulents. “There’s the obvious reason of their low water needs, but they come in so many shapes, sizes, textures and colors that they bring a lot of interest to a land- scape—like at Jeff’s house,” says Paul. He also recom- mends drought-tolerant companion plants. Some of Paul’s favorites are the South African proteas— Pro- tea, Leucospermum and Leucadendron. He also likes 58 Montecito Magazine Fall 2018–Winter 2019 One of the most spectacular of all agaves, Agave ovatifolia . The spiraling petals reflect radial symmetry, a distinctive pattern shared by many fire-retardant, drought-tolerant plants.

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