Italian cypress is a familiar staple in the city, 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 Read More…
theGardenPages Gardening Blog
Newsflash: Rosary plant (Crassula rupestris) getting ready to flower
I have exciting news from my garden. The rosary plant has flower buds! I’m excited because my rosary plants don’t all bloom reliably every year. Rosary plants, or Crassula rupestris, have low-water growing requirements similar to other succulents, but prefer partial to deep shade. I love these little succulent plants. I’ve got them spread out Read More…
One of My Favorite Parts of Fall in Southern California: the California Native Plant Sale Oct 11 & 12 2008
I just got the postcard today! Admission is free and this comes perfectly timed for Fall Planting Season. This is a great place to find beautiful native plants for your area, even if you have dry shade, full blazing sun or live in a boggy canyon bottom. Plus they always have great food, so I’m Read More…
Liquid Amber Tree Brings Autumn to Los Angeles
I went in search of some leaves changing color for my LA blog just to prove we have Fall in Los Angeles. I knew I could rely on our Liquid Amber trees for a little fall color on this first day of Autumn. In LA Liquidambar styraciflua are used as street trees and a whole Read More…
Make Your Own Organic Insecticidal Soap and Keep Your Garden Chemical Free
Make Your Own Organic Insecticidal Soap and Keep Your Garden Chemical Free
Latest Plant Rescue: Herbs and Succulents
Here’s the newest addition to the family. Plant rescues from the dollar store. None had tags, so I was going by the ‘bruise and smell the leaf’ method (on the herbs). Clockwise from the left are: mint, French tarragon, peppermint, rosemary and in the front a little succulent plant. I think it’s either a beat-up Read More…
Plant Profile: Ethereal White Sage Blooms Add Grace to Southern California
California White Sage (Salvia apiana) This beautiful shrub is native to Southern California and Baja. It is usually found growing wild in the coastal sage scrub habitat on the western edges of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. The books say it will grows five feet tall (at least) and 5 feet across, but I have Read More…
Acacia Tree Changes Attire From Yellow Flowers To Golden Seed Pods
Here’s a follow up on the Blooming Acacia Tree posts. Our little flowering tree has now developed seed pods which dried fairly quickly. We’ve been having a heat wave so summer is off to a crackling start here in So Cal. The seed pods are about 2 or 3 inches long and have bumps over Read More…
Quick Ideas For Red, White And Blue Flowers For A Patriotic Garden
I was driving around and saw this patriotic display of petunias. I thought it would be fun to compile a quick list of red, white and blue flowers to put together for a patriotic display this 4th of July. Here are a few you can group together including a few shade ideas. RED: petunia; salvia; Read More…
Plant Profile: Crassula Capitella Another Color Change Plant
Here’s another succulent plant in my collection that changes color. This is Crassula capitella, sometimes called Crassula erosula. This succulent has also been called Red Flames or Campfire Plant. It has bright, lime green leaves with flaming orange red tips. It gets tiny white flowers on upright stalks in early spring. When grown in shade, Read More…