Author Archives: Denise
In Bloom: Crassula falcata
Last year I popped a few more cuttings of this crassula amongst the Senecio mandraliscae, the bluish blur in the background, aptly named Blue Fingers or Blue Chalk Sticks. Just the one bloom stalk from the crassula this year, but … Continue reading
Non Stop Bhangra
I was emailed this clip by guest photographer MB Maher this morning. It gave me such a smile, I had to share it here. Non Stop Bhangra have been haunting the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco for well over five … Continue reading
Dasylirion wheeleri
I moved this fairly large dasylirion out of its 22-inch clay pot and into the ground. A job for long sleeves and heavy gloves, as well as alerting those in the house to be on standby for a possible shout … Continue reading
Fungus Humongous
I found this neon-yellow eruption on a eucalyptus stump this morning. I swear it wasn’t there yesterday, but that doesn’t seem possible. I always stand on this stump, in the southeast corner of the back garden, to cut back the … Continue reading
Limonium peregrinum
The shrubby statice, also goes by Limonium roseum, from South Africa. I just uncovered its true identity this morning using a Google Image search. The one and only time I’ve seen it offered at a nursery, I bought it, and … Continue reading
The Rhythm of the Heat
The cannas are finally head-high, but it’s taken them a while in this very cool summer on the coast in Southern California. California is breaking records for cool temps, while record-breaking mostly everywhere else has been going in the other … Continue reading
Up On A Pedestal
Which is where I place plants, figuratively and literally, as in this plinth of glass blocks for a frosty astelia. If something is laying around here long enough, it will eventually be recruited to combine with plants in some form … Continue reading
Bivouaced with Pacific Horticulture
The July/August/September 2010, Volume 71, Number 3 Up front I have to admit I’m not a current subscriber to this venerable West Coast horticulture journal. At some point in the last 20 years, I realized my copies were piling up … Continue reading
Descanso’s Camellias are Short-Timers
From 7/27/10 New York Times on how public gardens are scrambling to keep visitors interested: “Because of environmental concerns, Descanso Gardens, near Los Angeles, is doing the once-unthinkable: it plans to uproot its historic — but nonnative — collection of … Continue reading
This Plant Stinks
Plectranthus neochilus, a very nice plant, similar to the Cuban oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus. but this plectranthus really stinks. I’m hoping it can fill nepeta’s shoes, a plant impossible to grow with cats roaming the garden. Something tough and textural, not … Continue reading