- Author: Karen Metz
In June I wrote a blog about the April removal of my dead lawn and replacement with drought tolerant plants. At the time some people asked that I later update the status as things progressed. So these pics represent just after planting in April and then what it looked like at the end of October. I am pretty pleased. The plants have really started filling out. Some have almost tripled in size. I've even had blooms from the Russian Sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Dwarf Plumbago, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, and Euryops.
The blue fescue makes a nice contrast with all the green. The Ceanothus griseus horizantalis didn't bloom much, but is very healthy. My favorite though is the Acacia cognate 'Cousin Itt'. This was my only new plant, I had fallen for it after seeing it in a catalog. I had a hard time locating three specimens at the time the landscaper was ready to plant. Two were fine but one looked very sickly. The healthy plants have grown like gangbusters and are lush very green and very reminiscent of Cousin It from the Addams family. The sickly plant has gotten even more sickly and actually looks like it is at death's door. I want to replace it with a healthy specimen, but I thought it might be wise to first see how the 'Cousin Itts' do this winter. If they survive the winter I will definitely get another one.
Either way my neighbors are deliriously happy that they are no longer looking at dead lawn. I know just how they feel I couldn't stand it anymore either.
- Author: Betty Victor
The Plant Foundry http://www.plantfoundry.com/ is a small urban nursery located at 3500 Broadway in Sacramento. We had heard about this nursery and decided to check it out.
What a nice surprise, for a small nursery. In this nursery you will find a variety of plants, such as air plants, succulents, native plants, drought tolerant, shrubs and trees, heirlooms and cottage plants. They had a good variety of edibles as well. All the plants looked healthy and well-labeled, some of their plants are from Annie's Annuals. Fruit trees, and dwarf citrus were also available. This nursery also carries certified organic soils, fertilizers, and soil amendments.
When the City of Sacramento approved backyard chickens, this nursery added Artisan chicken coops, so if you have backyard chickens you might want to check them out, plus they have certified organic feed.
In their inside nursery, they have books on gardening, Artisan made pottery, certified organic seeds, and tools. If you're looking for garden décor they have it including- small table and chair sets for a deck or patio.
The Plant Foundry holds classes on succulent gardens, orchids, and terrariums-to name a few offered during the year.
This was a much understated nursery that has a lot for its size. We were really surprised at what they had for this small space, surprised and very pleased as well. They have qualified people to help you answer questions. You can spend as much times as you want, a little or a lot. I intend to return in the spring to see what they may have, it's not too far away and easy to find.
- Author: Pamela Allen
On Saturday, 10/22 I was stepping off a plane in beautiful (HOT, HUMID) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with a packed itinerary in hand! It was a tough schedule, pedicure followed by hours on the beach only to be disturbed when it is time to move to the pool or get ready for dinner. It was rough!
One stop that I was most excited to make was at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. I was excited to see the orchids and native plants, the rhododendron house, and the seasonal butterfly garden. Alas, timing is everything! Late October is the beginning of the drier cooler winter months. Many of the glorious blooms that can be found on their website www.vbgardens.org were no longer showing their beautiful colors.
I did truly enjoy learning more about bromeliads, which are abundant in the gardens everywhere you look!
Puerto Vallarta did not disappoint me though. Here are some beautiful colors found right outside my resort door! ENJOY!
There were bougainvilleas of every shape and color everywhere you look, but I loved the triangle shape and tinge of purple on the bracts of this variety.
- Author: Lorraine Remer
I visited family in Albuquerque a few weeks ago. While there, my sister Joanne Mc Entire (Querenciagreen.org) took me on a tour of a community garden called LA Mesa Neighborhood Garden Park. Joanne is a community planner who has been working on green infrastructure projects in the urban areas of Albuquerque. She helped with the design and building of this garden park about 2 years ago from the perspective of water harvesting rain from the monsoon season. She described the many steps and community groups that were involved to convert a third of an acre corner plot that was nothing but flat compacted soil. Shaping the land with contours, swales and basins so all rainfall would be put to the best use was integrated with amending the soil to both hold the rain water and not be lost in the arid climate and to create a vibrant rich soil for the the new drought tolerant plants. Four inches of woody mulch topping was added to prevent aridity from occurring. The selection of drought tolerant plants includes grasses, succulents and sages which needed initial watering from the neighborhood volunteers to get through the first year of dry weather.
My tour and discussion with Joanne sparked my appreciation and understanding about the essential elements in creating a garden with limited rainfall in an arid climate. The community team effort is pivotal from the design and implementation phases to guarantee success. Various volunteer groups to do the hard foundation work and planting was an integral part of the project. Residents in the Mesa neighborhood enjoy and take pride in this garden as the children in the school across the street take tours of the garden and parents wait for their children after school in the garden which provides a little shade and a touch of beauty.
- Author: Tina Saravia
Last month, I got the opportunity to attend the meeting of the local chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers, the largest amateur fruit-growing organization in the world. I've been aware of this group for years. I have a friend from another plant society who is a member of the local chapter of the CRFG. He has shared with me some very rare and unusual plants, some of which I've killed.
One such plant was pepino dulce (Solanum muricatum). So at the raffle, when my ticket was called, I picked a a pepino dulce in a 3-gallon pot. I loaded it in the car and brought it home. It was then I realized that I didn't remember anything about it.
Lucky for me, the Internet came to my rescue. Here are a couple of links to the University of California in Davis websites that cover this plant.
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-234.pdf
Pepino dulce (sweet cucumber in Spanish) is also known as melon pear or melon shrub. It is an
evergreen frost-sensitive plant native to the Andean regions of South America. It belongs to the family Solanaceae or night shade family. It's related to tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and potatoes. It's a perennial but will grow as an annual in many areas.
It's growth habit is similar to a small tomato vine, and may need staking or support. The plant looks like a potato plant (I think the leaves look like a pepper plant.); and according to the picture from the UC Davis site, the fruit looks like an eggplant.
But I will have to wait until next year, as it doesn't set fruit until the night temperatures are above 65° F.
As for the taste of the fruit, "Better quality fruit is moderately sweet, refreshing and juicy with a taste and aroma similar to a combination of cantaloupe and honeydew melon. In poor varieties there can be an unpleasant 'soapy' aftertaste."
I sure hope I have the better variety.
Here's an additional link to more information about this plant from the California Rare Fruit Growers. http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pepino.html
