Monthly Archives: May 2015

favorite plants and an end-of-week nursery browse 5/29/15

All the new and interesting dry garden shrubs on the smallish side seem to be coming from Annie’s Annuals & Perennials. Gnidia polystacha from South Africa is a light-limbed shrub with needle-like leaves that readily give away its Thymelaeaceae family … Continue reading

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the Leonotis leonurus down the street

This Lion’s Tail is thriving in the front garden of a neighbor who took advantage of the first wave of lawn removal rebates offered a few years ago by our local water department. I”ve been personally characterizing the latest round … Continue reading

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low and green

I’ve got to say it’s been a long time coming, but it’s still just a tiny bit surreal to wake up every day to more MSM coverage on lawns, and by extension, the plants that will have to replace lawns. … Continue reading

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small garden, tough choices

“I reckon there are 5 seasons. There’s an early spring, which I call Sprinter…a Sprummer which comes after that for 2 months…There’s a long summer…a short autumn, a short winter – both just two months long, and then you’re back … Continue reading

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another rainy day at the Huntington

In a bizarre bit of repetition, two recent visits to the Huntington Botanical Garden have coincided with that rarest of occurrences, a rainy day in Los Angeles during our mega drought. April especially is late in the season for a … Continue reading

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repotting Cussonia spicata

Cussonia spicata, June 2014. Cussonias are also known as Cabbage Trees, all from South Africa, and I want every one I’ve ever seen. In my zone 10 they can be grown outdoors, where they will fulfill their ultimate destiny as … Continue reading

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Agave ovatifolia

Treasured for being on the short list of agaves hardy to zone 7, this imposing agave is no less desirable in warmer zones. My recently planted ‘Frosty Blue’ has a ways to go before it looks like this: Photos of … Continue reading

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the short but productive life of Agave mitis ‘Multicolor’

There’s something about an agave bloom that’s crazy-making. Emotions are as variegated as the leaves of this nomenclature-challenged agave. (Bought as Agave celsii ‘Multicolor,’ it might even be chiapensis*.) I’m thrilled, sad, awestruck, and a little dumbstruck, too, at having … Continue reading

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orange and blue

I love garden surprises. Sure, there is some planning involved, but because the garden supports a collecting habit, the big picture is usually uncertain and often a mixed bag. What the collecting id of my psyche is up to all … Continue reading

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visiting Ms. Fish’s garden

In 1993, when my boys were 5 and 10, we took our first vacation without them. It was a big emotional deal for all of us to be apart some 10 days, but I needed to see if there really … Continue reading

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