Have you reached the point where you can’t devote as many hours to your garden as you would like to? Do you have other commitments which consume a major portion of your time? Or must you, for some reason, be away from home for several months?
If this is true, then it’s time to start working toward a planting that demands less time but will be equally as rewarding.
Plants From Natives of Countries
Draw your plants from natives of countries having a climate like your own. Every West Coast climate has a wide choice of easy-growing materials.
California Mimulus
Southern and central California use South African bulbs and shrubs. The native California Mimulus (diplacus) hybrids are now available in glorious shades of gold, cardinal and Saturn red, carmine, or Tyrian purple.
Gazania splendens hybrids can also be had in various reds, buff, and copper. The flowers of the white gazania, which have a broad, white-spotted black band around a dull gold center, come out in fog as well as in sun.
Narcissus in the Northwest
In the Northwest, narcissus carries through without attention, but farther south they must be summer watered.
I have also seen onosmas sow themselves on rocky slopes. Start with the best strains and varieties for these take no more room or care than the poorer ones.
California Fog Belt
In the Fog Belt, press into service plants from the Canary Islands and the northern coast of Africa.
Many of the natives from these regions, tempered and torn by ocean winds, find themselves so much at home on the rugged coastal bluffs of central California that they become naturalized.
Six-foot flowering stalks of fastuosum rise from crevices in sea-facing crags of their own accord. The blossoms are as blue as the ocean below and the large leaves as gray as the rocks from which they spring.
In other niches, green platters of Aeonium tabulaeforme spread a little above the surface of the rocks. They have yellow flowers which are borne on stems arising from the center of the plate.
Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys
Cool winters give the Big Valleyites a better chance to attain a mixed border. especially if everything possible is done to see that the plants get winter rest.
No amount of top fertilizing is going to make up for the rich 2 ft of topsoil that strong growing perennials should have.
Before putting in any plants. though, be sure there is good drainage as well as food. Rotted cow manure is finely mixed with the soil far below the surface. Milorganite is splendid. too; use about a quart to each wheelbarrow full of soil.
Pacific Northwest
There are so many good rock gardeners in the Northwest that it is hard to write for the general gardener without hearing an imaginary snort of derision from the seasoned grower of rock plants.
When constructing the rock garden. be sure to tamp the soil and leave no air pockets when filling the crevices between the large stones—which should be tipped down at the back.
Don’t be disturbed if the soil spills over the surface of the rocks for such plants as dwarf artemisias and some helianthemums use these warm places with shallow, moist soil as propagating beds.
The side branches grow over this shallow soil and send out tiny roots. These outer branches can later be cut off and planted.
Southern California
One of the early ripening apricots for the home garden in the south-land is Early Bee.
It ripens two weeks ahead of the Royal apricot, is a heavy bearer, and is of good eating quality. John Rivers. the earliest nectarine to ripen, is a handsome red-checked fruit, and its juicy white-green flesh has a delicious flavor.
I can only report on the new Merrill peaches from second-hand, for I do not know them well. I am told, though, that Merrill Delicious and Merrill Dandy are both good; the former is yellow-fleshed and of good flavor.
It is not entirely freestone but is said to be the best peach for home freezing. Merrill Dandy rather resembles Crawford.
44659 by Lester Rowntree