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…
theGardenPages Gardening Blog
Plant Profile: Crassula Portulacea or Spoon Jade or ET Fingers or Gollum Jade
Any more names for this jade species? I’ve always appreciated it for the way it looks like coral, sea grass or some exotic undersea plant you’d find waving with the currents in Ariel’s Secret Grotto. Horseshoe or Spoon Jade is also called Gollum Fingers or ET fingers. These plants can take full sun to light Read More…
Garden Fresh Baked Tomato and Zucchini Recipe with Parmesan Cheese
Is your vegetable garden blessed with an overabundance of fresh tomatoes and zucchini this summer? Here’s a great recipe that uses lots of each. Use your giant zucchini to serve this in either boats or cups for a dramatic touch. Cut large zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers to create cups that stand up. Read More…
Delicate Flowering Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia for Hot Weather Gardens
Here in Los Angeles, the Crape Myrtle Trees begin blooming around April and are still in bloom now in July, despite the 100 degree heat wave. These perennials are known for their beautiful clusters of flowers that look like crinkles of crepe paper. Colors come in bright white, dusty pinks, neon reds onto pink and Read More…
How to Grow and Care for Healing Aloe Vera Plants
Aloe Vera, known as the healing plant, is easy to care for indoors or in the garden. It is a drought tolerant succulent plant which grows well in dry shade to part sun. Aloes have bright green stalks that grow up to 1 foot long and up to 2 inches thick They usually have creamy Read More…
Towering, Drought Tolerant Pink Hollyhocks in California for #FloralFriday
My neighbor’s hollyhocks are blooming again. They tower over her garden with huge flowers and I admit to being a wee bit jealous. The old-fashioned garden hollyhock of my childhood storybooks is also called Althaea rosea. They are native to the Mediterranean region which means they make perfect flowers for a low water yard. See? Read More…
Euryops: Drought Tolerant, Fast Growing Winter Flowering Shrubs For Southern California
If you are looking for a nice drought tolerant shrub that flowers almost year-round try Euryops. I planted these as a quick fix for a bare bed about four years ago. I knew they were fairly fast growing and flowered in winter. The plan was to get something started quick and fill in the blank Read More…
Blooming Purple And Blue Jacaranda Trees Bloom In Los Angeles
Here’s a pretty picture from Los Angeles for you. I originally posted on my LA blog, but they are such pretty trees I thought you might like to see them too. The jacaranda trees are blooming now, the skyline is turning blue and purple. The streets and yards under these Jacaranda trees are also turning Read More…
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…
Plant Profile: Crassula Ovata or Jade Plant, great succulent plants for dry gardens.
Right now is a perfect time to plant your succulent garden! It’s still cool and we have rain so you don’t have to water! Jades are in bloom right now. Crassula ovata or Jade plants are shrubby succulent plants that make excellent choices for dry gardens and container plants. Xeriscaping with drought tolerant cactus and Read More…