This citrus relative from Australia has slender, arching stems lined with narrow, dark green 1-2 inch leaves. It will bloom nearly year-round in our Sunnyvale climate, with star-like 1 inch blossoms, rose pink in color. Sun or light shade, well drained soil, moderate watering. Plant Size: 3 feet high Landscape/Garden Uses: Foundation plantings Flowering Season: Nonseasonal Flower Color: Rose pink …

Godetia (Clarkia Amoena) is a spring blooming annual flower. It is native to western North America, from British Colombia down to California. Many people consider this easy to grow flower as a wildflower. Godetia plant grows 12″ – 30″, depending upon variety. The plant grows quickly. It blooms in the spring, in just 30 to 60 days. It produces Azalea-like …

Siberian squill, grown from a small bulb, is probably the most familiar of the scillas. The plants themselves don’t get much taller than about 6 inches, but they make up for their diminutive size by spreading out and blooming profusely. The tiny bulbs grow and multiple easily and the plants will also self-seed, making scilla a perfect choice for naturalizing.

This is the first bloom of Linaria in early March 2015. The plant is about 12 inches tall and the whole flower head is only an inch wide. See detailed description of Linaria

Like everything else in the garden, the blackberries are two weeks ahead of schedule. We are going to have a good crop of blackberries and a bumper crop of marionberries.

Our resident hummingbird appeared to be enjoying the rare spring rain

I have not planted elephant garlic in the front yard in ten years. The plants continue to produce every year. Mostly from child bulbs on the parent. But sometimes from seeds dispersed from the flower heads. This year, I harvested about half of the garlic. Wash off the dirt. Dry for an hour or so. Cut off the foliage about …

Tall Bearded Iris is a great spring flower for Sunnyvale gardens. This is a migrant plant. Some years the iris is in the front yard in the ground; other years the iris is in a container in the back yard. Irises contain the potentially toxic compounds irisin, iridin, or irisine. Symptoms of Poisoning: The gastrointestinal tract may become affected by …

The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata), commonly known as the hummingbird moth, is a moth of the Sphingidae family. Its range extends from Central America, through the United States and into parts of Canada. The forewing is dark brown with a tan stripe which extends from the base to the apex. There are also white lines that cover the veins. The …

The Asian Pear Ultra-dwarf tree in my Sunnyvale garden started blossoming the last week in March 2015.