Category Archives: Plants

Big storm tests the rain garden

There’s nothing like a few minutes of heavy downpour to check that the garden’s ecological systems are doing what they’re supposed to. Today brought pounding rain and hail to the garden. There’s standing water over the gravel in one area, the rain garden is filling up, and the pervious paving is definitely working hard. OnceContinue reading “Big storm tests the rain garden”

Digilexis? No, Digiplexis!

Some plants are refinements of existing species. Others are things discovered in the wild by plant hunters, Indiana Jones style. Then there are some created by crazy plantsmen by crossing species nobody imagined were compatible. The resulting plant in this case has dark green basal leaves and unique flowers that look like they walked offContinue reading “Digilexis? No, Digiplexis!”

California’s central valley isn’t a safe place for purple hopseed bushes

In the battle of Jack Frost vs Purple Hopseed bushes, Jack wins. The plants may come back from their roots, but not until the weather warms – so goodbye purple winter screen plant. If you’re in a borderline area where this happens a lot, it’s time to consider a different plant, especially if these wereContinue reading “California’s central valley isn’t a safe place for purple hopseed bushes”

Time to trim the meadow

The asters are dry and non-ornamental, the sedges will soon start their growth cycle, and the other herbaceous perennials will join them – so this was the time to cut everything back. The clippings are left in place to break down, keeping nutrients in the meadow so we don’t need to add fertilizer. The perennialsContinue reading “Time to trim the meadow”

California Dutchman’s pipe at peak bloom!

It may seem strange for a plant to flower at the beginning of February, but that’s what this plant likes. Its leafless stems are covered with a profusion of strange greenish flowers that somebody thought looked like a Dutchman’s pipe. I suppose if they have to look like something, other than what they really are,Continue reading “California Dutchman’s pipe at peak bloom!”

A new native grass for the meadow

This is one of those plants whose common name – Alkali Sacaton – is only a bit more comprehensible than its Latin name – Sporobolus airoides. The Latin name is a lot more fun to say, however. We picked up a small fuzzy looking tuft of grass in a four inch pot at Elderberry FarmsContinue reading “A new native grass for the meadow”

Some new plants from Down Under

During the midst of the worst heat wave in years, a package arrived on our doorstep. Live plants. Fortunately, our doorstep is in the shade, so the “Live Plants” tag was still accurate. The plants came from Tuffy in Temecula, a supplier of plants to wholesale nurseries – our closest grower is supposedly Devil MountainContinue reading “Some new plants from Down Under”