Pink German Catchfly (Viscaria oculata) is a pretty annual. Each 1-inch flower has five petals around a dark eye. Ours started blooming May 20. They bloom for about 4 months. The common name “catchfly” is used because the stems secrete a sticky liquid that traps small insects. The flower has been in British gardens since the 1840s. No flower seed …

Coral Bells (genus Heuchera) are a great foliage plant. The leaves are often large and heart-shaped or rounded, and many are variegated or ruffled. Starting in late spring, graceful, bell-shaped flower clusters open, carried on spikes that grow about two feet tall. Because these North American natives are evergreen (USDA zones 4 – 9), they bring year-round interest to the …

Salpiglossis: a name that just rolls off the tongue. Which it should since the genus name comes from the Greek words sappinx meaning trumpet and glossa meaning tongue with reference to the elongated trupet-shaped flowers. It is a spectacular flower. I don’t know how I missed this flower over the years. Many salpiglossis are hybrid cultivars that are primarily derived …

Intense, dark rosy pink outer petals contrast beautifully with white centers on 2” wide, long-spurred blooms. Makes a great cut flower! Its vigorous upright, airy habit make it a nice addition to woodland gardens, sunny rock gardens, and cottage gardens. 2’x2’ when in bloom, with flowers borne on tall branching stems held about 1’ above showy, lacy foliage. Like its …

Dozens of deep purple-blue blossoms in a small package (15″ tall x 20″). Reliably perennial, it happily self-sows to fill in bare spots with its ever-present color. When the flowers are spent (after months), cut back to 1”, side dress with compost & it’ll burst right back into bloom. BEST in rich soil & half day sun, but not required. …

Tuberous Begonias, like our Santa Cruz Sunset, REQUIRES winter dormancy. This means you need to begin in fall by reducing the water to the plants until the tops have died back and the soil is completely dry. Here is my shortcut: Forget to bring in the basket on the night of the first freeze! See the results in the photo …

A blast of dense, vertical spikes that bloom for months in our mild climate – & then blooms again! Veronica longfolia “Vernique” is a hybrid version of this essential cottage perennial. It rises to 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide across bearing rich, purple, 6” spikes from late Spring to July, attracting mobs of butterflies, bees & hummers! Cut …

Phlox subulata is a short plant, and its stature is reflected in its common names: “creeping phlox,” “moss phlox,” “moss pinks,” “ground pink,” and “ground phlox.” Don’t let the “pink” label fool you: This perennial does come in other colors. Not surprisingly, Phlox subulata functions primarily as a flowering ground cover. You’ll often see this spring bloomer blanketing banks with …

Ixia are grown from corms native to South Africa (which has the same Mediterranean climate as California). They have grass-like leaves and stellar flowers of blue, purple, red or white. They come into bloom from spring into summer. Some of the common names for Ixia are Corn lily, African Iris, Wand flower, and African Corn lily. They make excellent cut …

I always grow lots of garlic and elephant garlic in our Sunnyvale Garden. During their growing season, all of them start to develop stalks (called scapes) with flower heads. If you want larger garlic heads, then cut off the scapes before the flower head blossoms. You can use the garlic-scapes as a mild version of garlic in many recipes. This …