The planting of bulbs and iris constitutes the main work for September. The bearded iris that had grown through the years were or should have been lifted and reset last month, and the new varieties are now on hand and need planting at once. None of our garden plants are more satisfactory and permanent than … Read more
Judging from my mail, there is – some confusion among West Coast gardeners concerning tritonias, tritomas, and tecomas, and this is a good chance to straighten it out for the three are very different. Tritonia is a South African bulb particularly well suited to fry. warm places on the Pacific Coast. For me, the bloom … Read more
The sacred lotus lily is, I think, the king of all aquatics. Although it has also been called queen, aristocrat, and lord of the pool, I have always preferred to think of it as king because it grows well above all the other waterlilies, as though reaching unto Heaven, proudly surveying its kingdom. For thousands … Read more
Are you planning on setting out trees and shrubs in your garden this fall? If so, consider kinds that put on brilliant foliage displays—maples, oaks, stewartias, dogwoods, fothergillas, euonymus, and others noted for autumn color. Actually, for the same amount of time, effort and expense, you can concentrate on flowering and foliage trees and shrubs … Read more
Curiously enough, many enthusiastic gardeners completely neglect that comparatively small group of plants known as biennials. True, they require a year’s growing before producing bloom, after which they are discarded. Yet this apparent liability can be an asset since the biennials start to bloom before most perennials show much color. Therefore, the gardener who longs … Read more
Almost every rainbow shade is represented in the blossoms of modern-day water lilies, which range in size from 3” to 12” inches in diameter. Thus, no home gardener, whether his pool is of good size or only a tub garden in a bit of sunny space, need be denied the pleasure of enjoying one or … Read more
If you’re looking for a plant that is both beautiful and easy to care for, then the Rhoeo spathacea, or Moses-in-the-cradle plant, is the perfect choice for you. This tropical perennial is native to Mexico and Central America, and its name comes from the shape of its flowers, which resemble Moses in a cradle. The … Read more
September starts the gardening year in the greenhouse. Plants are brought in from outdoors, seeds of annuals are sown for winter and spring greenhouse flowers, winter-flowering bulbs are potted and started into growth, cuttings are inserted for next summer’s outdoor plants, and seedlings started during the summer are ready for transplanting or potting. The month … Read more
If you have a poured concrete patio that seems to “float” in your yard there are many good ways to anchor it to the surrounding landscape. Potted plants are decorative and mobile, lending themselves to quick changes to show off a particularly handsome bloom or hide a former beauty’s faded splendor. Formal beds along the … Read more
The Stephanotis (steh-fuh-NO-tuhs) plant is a woody, climbing vine. Its shiny, leathery, dark leaves grow evergreen, and it can produce fragrant white clusters of flowers throughout the summer. The name “Stephanotis” is derived from the Greek words Stephanos, which means a crown, and Otis, which means ear. The term refers to the trumpet-like flowers that … Read more