Landscaping

The Monkey Puzzle tree is an exotic conifer. You can see a young example at 545 S. Sunnyvale. Araucaria araucana (commonly called the monkey puzzle tree, Chilean pine, or pehuén) is an evergreen tree growing to 40 m (130 ft) tall with a 2-m (7-ft) trunk diameter. The tree is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. It …

Though not a true Bamboo, Nandina is equally important to Asian-inspired landscapes with its tall, thin growth of lacy green leaves on upright cane-like stems that turn red in autumn and creamy flowers followed by clusters of red berries. It makes a perfect accent in foliage-heavy gardens. Perfect plant for very narrow places, tight entries or beside gateways. Indispensable for courtyards, …

Variegated Hebe. A compact evergreen shrub with spikes of purple flowers in early summer. Attractive variegated grey green leaves with creamy margins. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Ideal as a low hedge or container plant. Evergreen.

In 2005 our neighbor planted a ginkgo biloba tree in the narrow strip between our driveways. During most of the year the tree is easily overlooked by trees that put on more of a show in springtime. But during the last weeks of November, all the leaves turn yellow and then fall off  like dropping the mic.

Ornamental cabbage and kale are in the same species, Brassica oleracea, as edible cabbages and kale. They are the result of hybridizing and, although they are still edible, they aren’t as tasty and tender as their cousins. Although sometimes referred to as flowering cabbages, it’s the leaves that give the plants their color and interest as ornamentals.

Jade Plant (aka Jade Tree, Money Tree) is a great landscape plant for the Sunnyvale garden. It is a succulent that needs little watering.

Common in our Sunnyvale yards but little known in the North American kitchen, purslane is both delicious and exceptionally nutritious. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) — also known as duckweed, fatweed, pursley, pussley, verdolagas and wild portulaca — is the most frequently reported “weed” species in the world. It can grow anywhere that has at least a two-month growing season. My …

Echinocactus grusonii, popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus is a well known species of cactus, and is endemic to east-central Mexico. My barrel cactus in Sunnyvale is 14 inches wide by 11 inches tall and is 30 years old. It started in a 4-inch pot. The plants do have some basic requirements; an average minimum winter temperature of 12°C …

Wisteria is a beautiful spring vine. Because of my visits to the California Spanish missions, I cannot think of Wisteria without thinking of California. Back in 2014, I planted my wisteria in probably the worst spot for it in my garden: a spot nestled in an east-facing corner that only gets a few hours of sunlight per day. All of …

Crabapple. Crabapples trees are typically 4–12 m (13–39 ft) tall at maturity, with a dense, twiggy crown. The leaves are 3–10 cm (1.2–3.9 in) long, alternate, simple, with a serrated margin. The flowers are borne in corymbs, and have five petals, which may be white, pink or red, and are perfect, with usually red stamens that produce copious pollen, and a …