We just completed plans for two projects: one urban front yard upgrade, the other a large estate. Both were fun to work on, and we’re waiting for them to be built and watch their owners enjoy them Suburban landscape A new pool, spa, sunken patio and lots of entertainment space for outdoor living at itsContinue reading “Plans out!”
Tag Archives: California native plants
California Dutchman’s Pipe
Here in Sacramento, the first sign of spring is a display of California dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia californica). The tiny flowers look like green rubber ducks, and appear on the plant’s leafless branches. The display will go on for months, followed by the vine going into rapid growth mode to take advantage of the few monthsContinue reading “California Dutchman’s Pipe”
Evening Primroses spring open after sunset
After the sun sets, these flowers spring open in seconds. The trick is being there when it happens, since they take their time getting ready. The flowers in the video were shot at normal speed, no time lapse, no acceleration. The entire sequence was over a a bit under 30 minutes, starting just after sunset.Continue reading “Evening Primroses spring open after sunset”
Resilient landscaping for Southern California
This didn’t start out as a laboratory for resilient landscape design. It was just a low-maintenance garden for aging people to enjoy. Then one person was no more. The other lost mobility. Parts of the garden received no irrigation. Pruning back and weeding likewise disappeared. Yet the garden survived, mostly intact.
R.I.P. big manzanita
Our Dr. Hurd manzanita has been in decline for three years, after growing vigorously from a small five gallon plant to a four foot tall shrub. Leaves in some stems began to look thin and dry. I started a bit of water in summer, just hand watering on cooler days. This seemed to help, forContinue reading “R.I.P. big manzanita”
Oenothera Hookeri: a wonderful “weed”
It reseeds, it’s tall, it’s got more leaves than flowers. Its flowers fall off as soon as the day warms. But it’s also a fantastic thing to watch as night deepens. After sunset, the buds begin to swell. The sepals crack apart, then flip open. The petals emerge like popcorn, their motion apparent as youContinue reading “Oenothera Hookeri: a wonderful “weed””
The wildflowers are here!
With all the rains come lots of wildflowers. These are typical early spring wildflowers growing over much of Northern California. Most can be grown in gardens from seed, bulbs or plants… well, maybe not the poison oak… I don’t know which species all of these plants belong to. Maybe that’s good, since I can justContinue reading “The wildflowers are here!”
Trimming the meadow
The goal is to remove last year’s vegetation before it starts to grow back. The asters’ seeds have long since been picked over by the finches, and the sedges have not yet begun their spring growth spurt. Likewise, the grasses and other plants are just beginning to think about emerging from dormancy. It’s trim backContinue reading “Trimming the meadow”
It’s pipevine time again!
California Dutchman’s Pipe flowers putting on a show in late January.
The meadow at it’s messiest: butterfly paradise
After summer’s growth, the asters have come into flower, bringing clouds of hungry butterflies. This is when the meadow is tallest, where it starts looking wild and unkempt. Asters arc in all directions, visited by multiple species of butterflies: skippers, buckeyes, blues, sulfurs… Beneath the asters, native goldenrod blooms following earlier waves of flowers nowContinue reading “The meadow at it’s messiest: butterfly paradise”