The old adage is that most roots are in the top three feet of soil. This cutaway image, showing roots exposed by the removal of a wall, seems to bear this out. It also shows what happens when roots don’t have as much room to roam as they would like. Still, there are few rootsContinue reading “Where roots go”
Category Archives: Planting design
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora)
Tall, feathery pinkish flowers appeared a couple of weeks ago on our Feather Reed Grasses. Early morning or late afternoon, this grass is stunning. The flowers glow in diffuse light and sway even in the slightest breeze. Yes, grasses have flowers and are considered flowering plants. It’s just that since they’re wind pollinated they don’tContinue reading “Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora)”
A tale of two sages
Deschampsia. Muhlenbergia. Calamagrostis. Grasses have really long names!
Two of these grasses, the Deer Grass and the Tufted Hair Grass, are California natives. The other, Karl Foerster Grass, is a hybrid that does very well here. Tufted Hair Grass has been proposed as a lawn substitute, but that would mean mowing off the flower stalks, since at about three feet high they makeContinue reading “Deschampsia. Muhlenbergia. Calamagrostis. Grasses have really long names!”
Penstemon!
Our penstemons are swinging into full bloom, and providing a nice bit of color to fill in for the departing blue-eyed grass. Native bees visit the flowers, as do hummingbirds. The plants don’t need much, if any, water – depending on the species they’re bred from. Penstemon spectabilis should thrive with no additional water; MargueritaContinue reading “Penstemon!”
Blue-eyed grass update
More photos of Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
A native flax for the perennial border
We’re trying out some new California native perennials, to see what kind of border we can create using primarily native plants. We’re mixing several species of penstemon, this flax, Blue-eyed grass, Red Buckwheat and coyote mint to see what happens. The funny thing about California natives is that most of these plants aren’t native hereContinue reading “A native flax for the perennial border”
Rosemary: people love it, bees love it!
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a great plant for water conserving landscapes, herb gardens and bees
Blue & Gold
Daffodils and Rosemary, while not native to California, do very well here and provide a great color contrast while in bloom.
Double your fragrance – double your fun!
By combining Daphne odora with Clematis armandii, you can have some great mid-winter fragrance in your garden.