Syringa x perscia
Every spring for the past eight years, I have been searching for this shrub. And every year, I am both disappointed and bewildered why...
TELCS
- 2 min
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'
Go seriously local! This species of manzanita was originally introduced by our own Saratoga Horticulture Foundation way back in 1955,...
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- 4 min
Pittosporum tenuifolium
It is easy to dismiss some of the more Plane Jane plants of the ornamental landscape, but for landscape architects, they can play key...
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- 3 min
Prunus laurocerasus
For formal and informal hedges, Prunus laurocerasus is a competitive option. They treat us with deep green and lustrous foliage, perfect...
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- 4 min
Rhododendron occidentale
A native azalea that's deciduous? When we think of rhododendrons, their evergreen boughs with pastel clusters of showy flowers might...
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- 3 min
Vaccinium ovatum
Every winter, retail nurseries fill with a variety of bareroot plants including blueberries that at times I have specified in designs but...
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- 2 min
Lantana montevidensis
Need a colorful ground cover that is also drought tolerant? Consider Lantana montevidensis. Unlike its sibling, Lantana camara that...
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- 5 min
Lantana camara
Lantanas continue to grow in availability offering a wide variety of colors and sizes among hybridized cultivars. For this post, we will...
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- 3 min
Rosa californica
California has everything, even its own rose. No, it is not a fancy multi-petaled cut flower coveted by lovers, but it certainly has...
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- 4 min
Myoporum laetum
There are two trees I can think of that leave me unenthusiastic about giving them my time here. The first is Ailanthus altissima, which...
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- 3 min
Cistus x skanbergii
It was not until finding this photo that I realized the petals were in the shape of true love, reminding me to admire the details if not...
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- 5 min
Rosa (ground cover forms)
Roses are available in countless shapes, forms, scented or unscented, simple or complex, even for their drought tolerance. There are...
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- 4 min
Calluna vulgaris
One minor regret I have from my college years studying landscape architecture was not taking enough photos while studying for a semester...
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- 4 min
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
If a landscape design calls for tropical plant species, one cannot go wrong with including Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Its genus, Hibiscus,...
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- 4 min
Myoporum parvifolium
Need a lawn alternative that is drought tolerant? Myoporum parvifolium might be the plant for your design, but it includes some caveats....
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- 3 min
Styrax japonicus
Designers may already be familiar with Japanese maples and flowering cherries, but this Japanese snowdrop or snowbell tree offers a...
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- 3 min
Clerodendrum trichotomum
This large shrub, small tree came my way from generous owners of a small resort in Guerneville. I would occasionally talk with them...
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- 3 min
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangea macrophylla is the quintessential representation of Victorian gardens. At least, its association with the Victorian era, for...
16 views0 comments
- 3 min
Chilopsis linearis
In the past decade, Chilopsis linearis has started to pop up in Northern California as a viable, colorful option in the landscape ...
12 views0 comments
- 4 min
Punica granatum
We moved to Palo Alto when I was child, so I was amazed to learn that we had our own pomegranate tree in the front yard, already well...
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