Pansy, Viola x wittrockiana   Family: Violaceae (vy-oh-LAY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Viola (vy-OH-la) (Info) Species: x wittrockiana (wit-rok-ee-AH-na) (Info)   Category: Annuals Tropicals and Tender Perennials   Height: under 6 in. (15 cm) 6-12 in. (15-30 cm)   Spacing: 6-9 in. (15-22 cm)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) …

Belladonna Lily, Pink Lady, Naked Lady, Amaryllis belladonna. In winter, the bulbs produce many leaves. The leaves die off by March. In the hot dry days of August, thick stocks shoot up from the bare ground (hence Naked Ladies).

Autumn Sage, Salvia x jamensis ‘Hot Lips’   Family: Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Salvia (SAL-vee-uh) (Info) Species: x jamensis Cultivar: Hot Lips   Synonym:Salvia microphylla   Category: Tropicals and Tender Perennials   Height: 36-48 in. (90-120 cm) 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)   Spacing: 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) USDA Zone 8b: …

Bing is a cultivar of the wild or sweet cherry (Prunus avium) that originated in the Pacific Northwest, in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. The Bing remains a major cultivar in Oregon, Washington, California, Wisconsin and British Columbia. It is the most produced variety of sweet cherry in the United States. The Bing cherry is not self-fertile (you need another cherry …

Strawberry

Amaryllis, Christmas, Hippeastrum x ?   Family: Amaryllidaceae (am-uh-ril-id-AY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Hippeastrum (hip-ee-ASS-trum) (Info) Species: x ?   Category: Bulbs   Height: 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)   Spacing: 6-9 in. (15-22 cm)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone …

Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica   Family: Campanulaceae (kam-pan-yew-LAY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Lobelia (low-BEE-lee-a) (Info) Species: siphilitica (sigh-fy-LY-tih-kuh) (Info)     Category: Perennials   Height: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)   Spacing: 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F) USDA …

It is almost Halloween in our Sunnyvale garden. The tomato, pepper and cucumber plants are just going through the motions: The tomato plant has a few flowers but there are no pollinators. The green fruit is still green. The peppers are ever so slowly turning red. The night-time lows are more often below 50 degrees than above. And it rained …

Aeonium arboreum “Schwarzkopf Black Rose” Succulent is a Latin word meaning juicy, and is descriptive of many plants and plant families that store water in their leaves, stems and roots. Succulents can survive long periods of drought, even to a year, with this storage capacity. Aeoniums have handsome rosettes of fleshy leaves, one of which bears a spectacular terminal holding …

Common Fig, Edible Fig, Higo, Mission Fig, Ficus carica   Family: Moraceae (mor-AY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Ficus (FY-kus) (Info) Species: carica (KAIR-ih-kuh) (Info)   Category: Trees   Height: 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)   Spacing: Unknown – Tell us   Hardiness: USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 …