Garden Tour with Chris Cohen

Chris, who released the outstanding record, Overgrown Path (Captured Tracks, 2012) invited us to view the succulents he keeps in his backyard in Pasadena. He said he likes succulents because “they’re tough and weird.” He also told us that he gets his plants from the street, the city of LA, and “from some weird old lady on Craigslist.” – By Joe McMurrary, Photos by Joe, Adriane Cloepfil, Pierce McGarry

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Chris emerges from his home, excited to tell us about his plants.

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Chris, pleased, stands between two Euphorbias, which contain poisonous sap.

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Chris and a potted cactus.

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Chris on his balcony, where he keeps more Euphorbias, an avocado plant, and agaves.

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Chris holding an agave bulb of some kind, which will apparently send flowers into the wind to be germinated by bees.

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With his foot, Chris points out a plant he got from Tim Koh.

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Here, Joe, Chris, and his dog Lola explore a Jade-like succulent.

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A close-up of the poison-sapped Euphorbia.

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Chris shows his guests the landlord’s boat, along with his view of Highland Park.

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Taking a break from all the garden-talk, Pierce explains to Chris the virtues of his iPod cover.

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This is a hole that Chris pointed out to us.

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So long, Chris. So long, Lola. FYI: Lola recently had a tumor removed and is recovering quite well.