What’s Blooming In Southern California This April

Wondering what to plant now that will bloom next spring?  Here are a few heat-resistant, drought-tolerant ideas for you.  All of the plants in my garden are growing on rainfall alone.  Umm, OK, when it was 120 degrees last year I may have given them a little extra water, but that was it, really. I Read More…

Fall Planting Tips: 3 Flowering Herbs to Plant Now In Southern California Gardens

It is a lucky cook who is able to pluck a few fresh sprouts from a nearby herb plant to spice up a dish on the stove.  Here are a few fabulous herbs that do well in drought tolerant gardens, and Fall is a perfect time to plant them, so get out there already! Here Read More…

Wednesday Plant Profile: Optuna Cactus and How to Eat Prickly Pears

It’s almost time for prickly pears! I grow a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) in my back yard and it has great pears.  Opuntia cactus also have edible pads, the younger ones are more tender.  This cactus variety grows wild in the southwestern United States and Mexico.  Prickly pear cactus have deep green branching pads, Read More…

Eureka! California Black Gold In My Back Yard, Compost That Is

Yes, it does exist! I have found it! Compost can be made in California and here’s a giant chunk of that wonderful black gold in my hot little hand. I just dug some of my delicious compost out of the pile. I am getting ready to fill my bin up with a bunch of new Read More…

Flowering Lavender Herb Plants in My Sunny, Dry Southern California Garden

Here is one of my favorite plants; lavender. I have two French lavender plants growing in my garden. Both have been flowering for months now and both have proven to be extremely drought tolerant and beautiful. Even lavender leaves are sticky with essential oils and perfume the air. I use the flowers and leaves for Read More…

FloralFriday Rosary Plant Flowers Open in So Cal

The flowers have finally opened on my Rosary Plant (crassula rupestris). Woo hooo! I’m excited because not all of my plants bloom every year. This little guy is in a 3 inch pot and it is his second year. I am completely enchanted by these cute little succulent plants. I’ve got them filling in pots Read More…

A Green Bean Garden Bonanza? Garden Fresh Recipes, Lore and Labels

When my son was about 6 years old he used to pick green beans right off the vine and eat them in the garden.  As a mom I was thrilled he was getting his organic vegetables fresh as a gardener I was happy to overlook the occasional damage caused by his harvesting technique. If you Read More…

Blue Flowering Sage Herb Plants for #FloralFriday

The sage is blooming now, it is so pretty I just had to share it with you.This is regular culinary sage. I must say I am very impressed with how drought tolerant it is! It is growing with some lavender and artemis plants. Both plants are known to be drought tolerant bloomers, but I was Read More…

Plant Profile: Crassula Tetragona Easy Succulent Plants for Dry Gardens

Crassula tetragona are drought tolerant succulent plants that look like pine branches with fat needles sticking out the sides, or perhaps a green bottle brush flower. These unique crassula are often used in bonsai containers to look like pine trees. In the ground, they grow up to 4 feet tall. The plants will branch at Read More…

You Say Aeonium I Say Echeveria Succulent Plant; It Is Blooming For #FloralFriday

Here is an update on the flowing succulent plant in my garden. My Complete Book of Cactus and Succulent volume is telling me this is an aeonium haworthii and even includes a photo. Most of the aeoniums I see have flat leaves and tend to look like a plate on the end of a stick. Read More…