Category Archives: plant nurseries

introducing Nicotiana mutabilis

The back of the garden is a bit crazy right now, what with the miscanthus, the flowering tobacco, Eryngium pandanifolium, Roldana petasites, kangaroo paws and others jostling to claim their allotment of soil and sun. And if that wasn’t enough, … Continue reading

Posted in journal, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits, pots and containers, succulents | 5 Comments

thank you, Annie!

There were worrisome rumors, and then came the confirmation in the Spring 2021 catalogue that arrived in the mailbox this week: Annie Hayes, of Annie’s Annuals and Perennials, is retiring. You may need to grab a box of tissues or … Continue reading

Posted in plant nurseries | Tagged | 12 Comments

holiday shopping at The Huntington

I just got my renewed Huntington membership card in the mail. Woohoo! It’s always a relief to have that in my pocket for impromptu visits — or reserved visits, as is the case during the pandemic. (Which is an infectious … Continue reading

Posted in commerce, plant nurseries, plant sales, pots and containers, succulents | 3 Comments

Calendula ‘Touch of Red’

In Southern California, the cool-season annuals have arrived at local nurseries, the violas, stocks, snapdragons, sweet williams, nemesias, Iceland poppies, and lots more I’m forgetting at the moment. Some (or none) appeal to different garden temperaments. I’ve indulged in biennial … Continue reading

Posted in cut flowers, journal, plant nurseries, pots and containers | Tagged | 10 Comments

reshuffling some garden standbys

I edit, thin, and prune the steady accumulation of curbside and flea market finds constantly, but there’s a few stalwarts that consistently defy the purges. This Los Angeles street lamp shade has been kicking around the garden for years and … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, journal, plant nurseries, pots and containers, succulents | 5 Comments

making the most of it

Emotionally, this summer feels like summers when I was 12 or 13 — when I stuck close to home because I wasn’t allowed yet to get in trouble with friends with cars. I’m regressing to the point that I’ve even … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, clippings, cut flowers, design, journal, plant crushes, plant nurseries, pots and containers, succulents | 5 Comments

garden recovery

I knew I was going to have emergency abdominal surgery for a very large but benign cyst just a few days before it was scheduled, so of course I spent those few days in a frenzy of moving pots and … Continue reading

Posted in journal, plant nurseries, pots and containers | 5 Comments

so I brought home another New Zealander

Yesterday’s nursery jaunt included Roger’s Garden in Newport Beach, where I found the New Zealander of the title, Cassinia fulvida, and Village Nursery in Huntington Beach. Driving empty freeways sounds like a great time, but it eerily underscores how aberrant … Continue reading

Posted in journal, plant nurseries, pots and containers | 6 Comments

still plant shopping

With demoralizing chaos at the federal level continuing unabated, it’s incredibly reassuring to experience the pragmatic approaches deployed locally. Let’s just take for an example, oh, I dunno — shopping for plants, for instance. I’ve been shopping every couple weeks … Continue reading

Posted in agaves, woody lilies, plant nurseries, pots and containers | 6 Comments

so many salvias

I love the buzz of excitement of trying out new plants. In my garden, a good share of the newcomers always seems to include a few salvias, which isn’t surprising considering these multivarious members of the mint family number almost … Continue reading

Posted in climate, plant nurseries, Plant Portraits | 7 Comments