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…
theGardenPages Gardening Blog
Pretty, Perky Peppermint Plants, Planting Tips and Derby Day
One of the peppermint plants in my latest score from the 99 Cent Store is variegated. I took a close-up just for fun to share with my gardening pals. I admit to being fascinated with the many color variations that show up on plants like these. OK, here’s my hot mint tip: Never, ever plant 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…
Extra Income Idea For Gardeners: Plant and Tend Someone Else’s Vegetable Garden
I ran across this fascinating article about a guy who works as a gardener for people with a backyard, but no inclination. For a fee he’ll plant your garden, weed, water and even harvest your veggies. The attraction is that the produce will be locally grown and can also be pesticide free – or fit 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…
Fall Planting Tips: 3 Flowering Succulent Plants For Drought Tolerant Gardens And Containers
Succulents are plants that are able to store water in their stems and leaves, enabling them to live for long periods of time without water. They are similar to cactus but without the thorns (usually). This is a very large grouping of plants with many different colors, leaf shapes and growth habits. Most flowering succulent Read More…
Aeonium And Crassula Tetragona Succulent Plant Flowers
A few of my succulent plants are flowering out in the succulent patch. First is my Aeonium. It is one of the many plants called Hens and Chicks. I’ve written about aeonium before and I even have one that changes colors with the seasons. These succulent plants slowly form clumps a foot or more around Read More…
3 Vintage Tomato Recipes for Gardeners With Too Many Tomatoes
Not only do I love gardening and growing vegetables, I also love cooking and collecting old cookbooks. Since many of us may be blessed with an overabundance of tomatoes this summer, I thought it would be fun to share a few tomato recipes with my garden readers. These recipes are from The White House Cook 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…
Fall Planting Time: Four Flowering Shrubs for Dry Southwestern Gardens
Fall is just around the corner and for gardeners in the southwestern US, it is a great time to think about planting perennial, flowering shrubs. This is also a great time to plan out your landscape for next year, including preparing for more drought! Benefits of planting in autumn is a little extra free water Read More…