theGardenPages Gardening Blog

Hot Pink Flowering Bougainvillea

Here’s a quick late night Friday Floral for you; the bougainvilleas are blooming here in southern California, and putting on quite a show. Their colors can range from purple to reds, pinks or white, but my favorites are the hot pink versions.  This one is climbing over a fence in my neighborhood.  Once they get Read More…

Leyland Cypress Fast-Growing Drought Tolerant Landscape Screen Plants

Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a very fast growing tree that grows tall and thin, making them perfect for privacy screen plants in the landscape. These shrubs can grow four to five feet in one season!  Their columnar shape helps them fit in along the back of the border or between houses.  The top is a Read More…

Fruit News Roundup: A $6,000 Watermelon, $2.5 Million Cantaloupes, And A Fruit That Makes Everything Taste Sweet

I couldn’t resist putting together this post about fruit.  But, don’t read it right before you go food shopping… A ‘Densuke’, watermelon recently sold for $6,000 in Japan. It was a special ice-box sized variety with a unique black skin grown in the north of Japan. The skin is actually a very dark green with 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…

Flowering Thyme, Drought Tolerant Herb With Elvin Blooms For #FloralFriday

I have a new addition to my drought tolerant herb collection; thyme.  Common Thyme or English Thyme (Latin name Thymus vulgaris) is another Mediterranean native, so it’s perfect for my dry garden too.  These herbs grow as small shrubs or shrublets with tiny, oval leaves measuring just 1/4 inch long.  They are perennial and flower Read More…

Care and Growth of Shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day

All shamrocks are considered lucky and are worn and given as gifts on St. Patrick’s Day.  Several different plants are sold as Shamrocks.  There is some disagreement as to the exact plant, but most Irish growers will tell you Trifolium repens, or white clover are most commonly known as shamrocks. If you were lucky enough 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…

Plant Profile: Rosemary Herb Plant Growth And Care

Did you know rosemary is drought tolerant? I’ve just added a new rosemary page to my So Cal gardening site where I try to focus on low water plants. Here are a few excerpts for my gardening blog pals: Fragrant rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial, evergreen shrub. Not only are they wonderful cooking herbs, Read More…