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Plant of the Month Dichelostemma ida-maia AKA Brodiaea ida maia Ca. Firecracker, Firecracker Flower This summer flowering bulb is native to the western U.S.. The stems grow to 20 inches tall with yellow and green tipped crimson tubular flowers in early summer. The leaves are narrow and

Plant of the Month Calendula officinalis Pot Marigold Now is a good time to get some Calendulas going in the garden. They often reseed and give you the color of marigolds in the cooler season. They are a Mediterranean native so they are climate appropriate. We have

Plants of the Month This month we are not focusing on a single plant but two groups- succulents and grasses. A lot of grasses don’t flower till fall so this is a good time to feature them. Although there are a lot of ‘evergreen’ grasses to choose

Plant of the Month Dwarf Butterfly Bush   Just thought I would give a shout out for these great shrubby perennials in case you are not aware of their existence. A few years back smaller versions of buddlejas were introduced and we love them. Loads of butterfly

Plant of the Month Angelonia angustifolia Angelonias grow in sun with regular water and bloom all summer. They make a great container or bedding plant and are a long lasting cut flower. Although they are a perennial in their native tropics they do not winter over here.

Plant of the Month Catalpa speciosa Catalpas are well adapted to our area as they are not particular about soil and will take both extreme heat and cold. The large heart shaped leaves of this tree give it a tropical appearance as do the large clusters of

Plant of the Month The Betty Boop Rose This is a great florabunda rose. It performs very well in our climate with lots of flowers. They start out red and yellow but the yellow fades to white. The flowers open fully as they age and look like

Plant of the Month Erysimum-Wallflower Wallflowers are a big favorite here as they have such a long bloom time. They come in a variety of colors and sizes and we have several varieties in stock. They do better with afternoon shade in our climate but will tolerate

Plant of the Month Penstemon heterophyllus In keeping with this year’s water wise theme, this CA native is a winner. We usually carry the variety ‘Electric Blue’ but occasionally we have had other varieties. You can plant these lovely perennials in sun or with some afternoon shade

February Plant of the Month Bergenia I am already breaking the 2014 rule as this very hardy shade perennial calls for regular water but they will endure neglect, poor soil and even some drought. Since they are a shade plant and flower early they will require just