An uncommon cross variety of two Southern California native plants.

When living in West Sonoma County, I first came across this unusual fruiting native not far from our home. Situated within a flood plain...

The first time I came across Westringia fruiticosa, or coast rosemary, was when I used to work for a wholesale nursery in Sonoma County. ...

For those of us familiar with the feathery, strikingly silver foliage of dusty millers, or Jacobaea maritima, this is not it! Please...

Every spring for the past eight years, I have been searching for this shrub. And every year, I am both disappointed and bewildered why...

To designers, bamboos offer unique opportunities in the landscape, especially as outdoor space becomes more restricted. Some ideas are...

Go seriously local! This species of manzanita was originally introduced by our own Saratoga Horticulture Foundation way back in 1955,...

It is easy to dismiss some of the more Plane Jane plants of the ornamental landscape, but for landscape architects, they can play key...

Memories can pop up when least expected. My family and I would sit on the back deck of our South Lake Tahoe cabin and pick out and devour...

Truth be known, I have not specified Koelreuteria paniculata in any of my designs, and I am not sure why. Perhaps one reason is that it...

Easily unnoticeable but offers so much more when looking at the details, we should be seeing more of Melaleuca linariifolia in public...

Ages ago...I am referring to my own ancient history...I was an outsider yet still involved with activities on Stanford's campus. My...

Need a colorful ground cover that is also drought tolerant? Consider Lantana montevidensis. Unlike its sibling, Lantana camara that...

Lantanas continue to grow in availability offering a wide variety of colors and sizes among hybridized cultivars. For this post, we will...

Like me, Ginkgo biloba is a living fossil, or as Sunset summarizes, an "ancient survivor from prehistoric times..." (p. 339). The...

This little germander always finds its way into my gardens, in part for its versatility. I have primarily specified T. x lucidrys as...

Welcome to floral sunshine in the native garden! Solidago velutina ssp. californica, or California goldenrod, is not well known among...

Ushering in the autumn season is California fuchsia, or Epilobium canum. When so many other native perennials are already withering or...

California has everything, even its own rose. No, it is not a fancy multi-petaled cut flower coveted by lovers, but it certainly has...

There are two trees I can think of that leave me unenthusiastic about giving them my time here. The first is Ailanthus altissima, which...