Here in California, a spring garden’s most vivid blooms often are those of succulent ice plants. Aloes, bulbine and numerous arid-climate companions are bright and beautiful from March through mid-May. Increasing temps tend to put the kibosh on delicate spring flowers. If you live near the coast, you’ll enjoy a longer spring, but you may [...]
“As the market for water thirsty plants dries up, sales of cacti and succulents are thriving — and San Diego’s North County is ground zero for all things succulent.” So begins a segment on KPBS-TV by Alison St. John, a bureau chief who has been covering local issues for decades. Alison interviewed me in my garden [...]
Have you noticed your garden has been sending you Valentines? Once you start looking for heart shapes, you’ll see them everywhere. In addition to the flapjack plant (Kalanchoe luciae) above, here are a few Valentines from my garden (and others) to yours. Anthuriums have bright, heart-shaped bracts and green, heart-shaped leaves. The taro plant (colocasia), from Polynesia, likes [...]