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…
Category: Southern California
Daffodil Flowers in Sparkling Waterford Crystal: Friday Floral
Yes, it is January, but I already have daffodils flowering in my garden. I planted these bulbs years ago. We’ve had a little rain here in southern California so they’ve taken that as their big chance to flower. I know we’re still in the dead of winter, but they seem to have their own schedule. Read More…
Sprouting Amaryllis, Daffodils, Calla and Freesia, Happy New Year From theGardenPages
This New Year’s Day I have sprouting amaryllis, daffodils and freesia bulbs in the garden. We’ve had a bit of rain in Los Angeles, so there are a few bulbs that take this as their cue to get an early start on spring flowers. I am enchanted by the fragrance of freesias. I pick them Read More…
FloralFriday; Flowering Aloe Vera And Pink Roses In December
I was going to do a picture of my hot pink flowering rose with a few ripening oranges in the background. But sometimes you find the best surprises in the garden when you least expect them… …like in December. As I was working on finding the best angle of the rose and the orange tree, Read More…
Toyon: Red and Green California Christmas Holly
This is Toyon, also called California Christmas Berry or Christmas Holly or Heteromeles arbutifolia. These beautiful shrubs are prized for their bright red berries and deep green leaves. This is a fan-tab-ulous alternative to regular Holly (Ilex) when you need something drought-tolerant for your garden AND a little something for the birds and the bees Read More…
Friday Floral; My Color Change Crassula Capitella Is Flowering
I just love this succulent plant. I found it in a little 2 inch pot with no tag in the ‘novelty succulent plant’ heap at the local big box home improvement store. Since then I have been able to spread this plant down around the garden and over the patio in pots. It is named Read More…
Friday Floral: Red Climbing Rose Flowers
I am happy to report that my climbing rose has forgiven me for last summer. It is on a south facing cinder-block wall. Normally it does fine in the heat, but this summer just got too hot. My poor climber has a few brown, sunburned canes. At one point it even lost all its leaves Read More…
FloralFriday Hot Pink Silk Floss Trees Bring More Fall Color to LA
The silk floss trees are blooming in Los Angeles right now. I’ve seen them blooming along the 101 Freeway, in front of office buildings and this one, which is blooming in front of a DWP station with a drought tolerant theme. Chorisia speciosa trees are native to south America. They grow up to 60 feet tall Read More…
Plant Profile: Italian Cypress (Cupressus Sempervirens) For Tall Screens In Dry Gardens
Italian cypress is a familiar dry garden staple, the deep, bluish green trees growing along border lines as tall screens. They grow up to 60 feet high on single trunks with a thin, round shape. Plants are generally 1-2 feet wide but mature plants can be much wider. All cypresses prefer full sun, but will 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…