I’m generally not a huge fan of yellow flowers, especially the very bright, lemon-yellow kind. However, the petit blossoms of Golden Current have become a much anticipated exception to this each spring.
Continue reading Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)
Let’s face it, plants that bloom in spring and summer get the lion’s share of attention in nursery’s and gardens. Soooo… what’s happening in your garden in the fall?
Continue reading “Everett’s Choice” California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum var. latifolium)
One of the things missing from so many modern cultivars of plants is the one thing we keep sticking our noses into them for: fragrance. Yes, looks are good, but why not have both?
Continue reading California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
Usually when a plant has the word “weed” as part of it’s name, it doesn’t immediately attract itself to the typical gardener as a good candidate for their landscape. But this is one of those that should be given a second look.
Continue reading Narrow Leaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis)
I have a lot of pictures of this plant, and for a good reason. Starting in mid-summer into early fall it is enshrouded in a cloud of deep-blue flowers with a halo of pollinators all around.
Continue reading Caryopteris x clandonensis “Dark Knight”
There are few flowers that I don’t like. On the same token, there are few flowers that I love. I love California Poppies.
Continue reading California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica)
It was by pure accident that I discovered California fuchsias. The Old Man and I were in the process of transforming our dull, and rather dead (thank you drought), yard into a more water-wise and heat tolerant landscape. An internet search for drought tolerant plants to use led us to the discovery of a nursery, not too terribly far away in the neighboring foothills, that specializes in California native plants, which by their nature are rather used to not getting much rain.
Continue reading California Fuchsia “Silver Select” (Epilobium canum ssp.)
This has to be one of the most interesting plants in our garden. The small, but profuse, orange blossoms coat the stems that emanate from the base of the plant and stick around for months on end. The leaves are an eye-catching bright green. Plant this and you will be able to enjoy the quintessential hum of summer as bumblebees and hummingbirds will flock to your yard. When the sun shines on it just right, the flowers seem to glow like magical little lights.
Continue reading Orange Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)
Mostly Greek 