Hi there and Happy Fall to you! Hopefully, you’re still finding time to garden. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area gardening and planting is year round with mild winter temperatures making this possible. Today is October 12, 2020 and our business is off to plenty of planting especially in the next few months of Indian Summer, where particularly in SF we get some of our warmest temps. In this post I hope you enjoy seven statement succulents from the iconic Agaves to the very sweet Aeonioums. With stripped or marbled leaves variegation gives you many options in plant design,
Salvias – 10 Best Plants for Flowers, Fragrance, Hummingbirds
There are 700 – 1000 Salvias, the largest genus in the mint family. In this post we’re focusing on TEN amazing Salvia plants (Sages) for your garden or container. Blooming as we speak (late August) and flowering like gangbusters much of Spring – Fall, this genus of herbal and ornamental plants is one of my personal favorites.
Trees: Crape Myrtle – Summer’s Longest Bloomer!
The impact of a Crape Myrtle tree? In a recent post about Wisteria, blooms are the focus, but Wisteria blooms generally last only up to 30 days; not so with Crape Myrtle… This summer blooming tree stays in bloom 2 – 3 months, which is excellent as you’ll have long lasting color summer and fall. […]
Variegated Foliage – A Simple Way to Add Contrast in Planting Design
As you can see from the lead photo of this large hedge of variegated buckthorn (Rhamnus a. ‘Variegata’) variegated leaves can be a useful tool to add beautiful, easy contrast to your plant design. In this short post, take a look at the “hue effect” variegated leaves play in visual contrast to different leaf color […]
Lantana: Showy Perennial. Use as Trailers, Mounds, Low Shrubs and Topiary
Lantana is a popular plant in the SF Bay area. Its staying power owes to its constant bloom, showy flowers, and the fact that this plant in all its forms is enjoyed by hummingbirds and butterflies for habitat gardens, and is a drought tolerant, happy plant, well suited to our Mediterranean climate gardens.
Wisteria Vine: Rethinking Its Place in Small Home Garden Design
Vine choices in the garden, does it matter? And Wisteria is a giant. A vine known to swallow landscapes and buildings (I saw this first hand just outside Buenos Aires, Argentina). But, what about Wisteria’s potential and place in a small space or garden? (Lots of photos below.)
Real vs Fake: These Strong Forms Make Impressive Artificial Desert Plants + Cacti
For a semi-arid touch we visited Sedona, Arizona. The plant palette going from Phoenix to Sedona included desert and high desert natives and was a good representation of iconic desert flora.
I found myself back from the trip looking at my Arizona photos because such nice memories before turbulence (Coronavirus + personal stuff) helps me feel better and is A HEALTHY ESCAPE.
Sedona, Arizona: How Home Landscaping Reflects the Natural Environment
We’re just back from a week-long trip to Sedona, Arizona where arresting views of red rock canyons is a feast for the eyes and provides an incredible and unique backdrop for home owners. (Lots of photos below!!!) If you haven’t been to Sedona, this high desert paradise is a 2-hour drive from Phoenix (an easy […]
13 Blockbuster Plants for the February Garden!
Did you catch the Oscars last weekend? I did too…and it got me thinking about the Blockbuster Oscar worthy plants for the February garden. With Valentine’s day almost here, mid-February is an important time to consider what Oscar worthy specimen plants you might enjoy having in your garden or in a container.
7 Good Trailing Plants for Walls
If you’re looking for some trailing plant choices to add greenery – maybe even a splash of flower color to your wall -here are 7 excellent options! These evergreen options will give all season coverage, providing interest, character and clothing even on the bleakest winter days.
Of course, there are plenty more trailing options than these…