Category Archives: Plant Portraits
The Third Harmonic
It’s that time when the garden vibrates to the frequency of Alstroemeria ‘The Third Harmonic.’ The flowering stalks, when upright, graze my chin, and I’m 5’8.” This is a two-year-old clump, and it’s a good 5 feet across already. These … Continue reading
This Year’s Folly
As I’ve written in posts like “Type G Personality,” it seems every summer has its folly. This year looks to be no different. The chains are hung. I’m using the word “folly” to mean a project of dubious merit, not … Continue reading
Rehmannia ‘Snow Glow’
Chinese Foxglove, Rehmannia elata, a robust, easy plant for Southern California, full sun/light shade, zones 9-10. About 2-3 feet in height. Hated the mauvey color of the species, which sounds so petty, I know. This is the variety ‘Snow Glow.’ … Continue reading
Fringe Tree in the Rain
Not a title to elicit amazement, you’re thinking. But I’ve never seen the fringe tree, Chionanthus retusus, in full bloom, branches and flowers weighted down by rain. It can be tricky to get good views of this tree in bloom, … Continue reading
My So-Called Spiral Aloe
You can tell by the leaf litter that this guy is in the ground now, not in a pot anymore. In zone 10, planting in the ground is an option, since there’s no fear of frost damage. But there are … Continue reading
Senecio stellata (Cineraria)
The cineraria I blogged about in early March has been blooming and gaining strength, topping now over 4 feet in height, coarse and sprawly. These two plants came from Annie’s Annuals, from the seed strain ‘Giovanni’s Select.’ One is a … Continue reading
Mauve
The paths of the garden at Western Hills, which I visited a couple weeks back, were crowded with the mauve blossoms of self-seeding honesty, the biennial Lunaria annua. Because it was ubiquitous, I took no photos but of course now … Continue reading
Posted in MB Maher, Plant Portraits
Tagged biennials, chemical dye, Lunaria annua, mauve, MB Maher, Western Hills, William Henry Perkin
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Calandrinia spectabilis
On the Agave Walk this cerise Chilean showoff opens its first flower of spring. Zone 8-10. The calandrinia sprawls onto the Agave Walk and is cut back by half to allow foot traffic. Even with this heavy-handed treatment it flowers … Continue reading
Western Hills
The story of Western Hills can’t be fully told by an outsider, of course, so this will in no way be an attempt at a complete history. The former nursery and now endangered 3-acre garden have woven through Northern Californian … Continue reading
Poppies of Spring
Visual kief, intoxicating to the eye, O’Keefian, the ephemeral poppies of spring. These are not the flamboyant Oriental poppies immortalized by the painter Georgia O’Keefe. The Orientals won’t grow in Southern California, requiring more winter chill hours than we have … Continue reading