Category Archives: Plant Portraits

Salvia ‘Love & Wishes’ (a salvia revue)

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Denise

Yes, another salvia post. (You’re looking at a person for whom the ’90s publication of Betsy Clebsch’s master work A Book of Salvias, was a life-altering event.) The two new salvias in my garden are so far living up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged A Book of Salvias, Betsy Clebsch, Salvia 'Amistad', Salvia 'Love and Wishes', Salvia 'Waverly', Salvia canariensis, Salvia chiapensis, Salvia mexicana 'Limelight' | 5 Comments

Gerbera ‘Drakensberg Gold’ and Elymus ‘Canyon Prince’

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Denise

I’ve gradually been filling the garden with mostly shrubs, grasses and succulents. Very few perennials, with just a couple exceptions, like kangaroo paws. And I mentioned back in August finding some of this newish gerbera hybrid in gold/orange. The pink … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged Australian Native Plants Nursery, Barberton, Elymus 'Canyon Prince', Eucalyptus 'Moon Lagoon', Gerbera 'Drakensberg Carmine', Gerbera 'Drakensberg Gold', Gerbera Park, Jo O'Connell, Kalanchoe hildebrandtii, Peter Ambrosius, South Africa | 5 Comments

some kangaroo paws

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Denise

Anigozanthos is becoming as common as agapanthus in Southern California, but I’m still a fan. Blooms for months, fine on the dry side, handles full sun, dramatically vertical. You’d think there’d be a huge selection available. But it’s pretty much … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged Anigozanthos 'Big Red', Anigozanthos 'Harmony', Anigozanthos 'Little Jean', Anigozanthos 'Yellow Harmony', Argemone munita, Australian plants, Carex trifida 'Rekohu Sunrise, Helicotrichon sempervirens, Lomandra 'Breeze', Lomandra 'Lime Tuff', Macropidia fuliginosa | 6 Comments

floral fireworks

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Denise

Oooh…it looks just like…Calluna vulgaris ! At fireworks shows, I’m the one that keeps up a running commentary of free associations, so this “Flowerwork” by artist Sarah Illenberger for The Plant journal was an instant hit with me. From her … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, photography, Plant Portraits | Tagged "Flowerwork", Sarah Illenberger, The Plant journal | 1 Comment

tetrapanax in bloom

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Denise

I know a lot of Tetrapanax papyrifer in zones colder than my zone 10 have their blooms regrettably cut short by winter. Let me just ease your zonal envy a bit, as you gaze on these bodacious panicles, and fully … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged Arundo donax 'Golden Chain, Tetrapanax papyrifer | 15 Comments

Toyon, California Holly

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Denise

This sturdy evergreen shrub native to California, Heteromeles arbutifolia, is also known as the Christmas Berry or California Holly. Here’s why: There’s an old urban legend that early European settlers in Los Angeles, where this holly lookalike grew especially abundant, … Continue reading →

Posted in cut flowers, Plant Portraits | Tagged California native plants, Cupressus macrocarpa 'Citriodora', eriogonum, Grow Native Nursery, Heteromeles arbutifolia, holiday berries, Las Pilitas Native Plant Nursery, lemon cypress, Olea europaea 'Little Ollie', Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Theodore Payne Foundation Nursery, Toyon | 9 Comments

counting euphorbias

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Denise

Tis the season to celebrate euphorbias, since many of us will be living with or gifting/regifting one of its tribe over the next couple weeks, the poinsettia. Call me scrooge, but I’d much rather think about the ones planted in … Continue reading →

Posted in MB Maher, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits | Tagged ' Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow', Annie's Annuals & Perennials Nursery, Dustin Gimbel Second Nature Garden Design, Euphorbia 'Silver Swan, Euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger', Euphorbia atropurpurea, Euphorbia ceratocarpa, Euphorbia characias wulfeniii, Euphorbia lambii, Euphorbia mauritanica, Euphorbia mellifera, Euphorbia nicaeensis, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Euphorbiaceae, euphorbias, Huntington Botanical Garden, John Raven, Native Sons plant nursery, Rebecca Sweet, Sarah Raven | 10 Comments

cussonia crazy

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Denise

image found here Cussonias are a small genus from Africa and the Mascarene Islands There are maybe 25 species in the small genus known as the Cabbage Trees, and without trying too hard I’ve already brought home five of them. … Continue reading →

Posted in plant crushes, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits, pots and containers | Tagged Annie's Annuals & Perennials Nursery, Araliaceae, Cabbage Trees, Cussonia gamtoosensis, Cussonia natalensis, Cussonia paniculata, Cussonia spicata, Cussonia transvaalensis, pachycaul, South Africa, XOTX-Tropico Nursery | 6 Comments

waiting out a furcraea’s awkward years

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Denise

This furcraea has been kicking around in the garden, oh, such a very long time. It’s been in pots, planted in the ground, and then moved several times, frequently serving as a midnight snail snack. This summer is the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits, succulents | Tagged Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta' | 6 Comments

extraordinary leaves

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Denise

All leaves are extraordinary in a basic, photosynthetic sense, and then there are those that push the point even further. Leaves perform infinite adaptive riffs and improvisations on variegation or curve, curl, and flounce. A couple examples in my garden … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant Portraits | Tagged Echium simplex, Glaucium flavum, Glaucium grandiflorum | 7 Comments