Flowers

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 …

There couldn’t have been a better rose to name after the painter Frida Kahlo, known for her use of bold color and floral elements. This is a vigorous floribunda, so it’ll produce 5-6 roses per cluster and bloom all the way from late spring to early fall. Each petal is its own unique blend of yellow, orange and red hues, …

Plant this spring annual and you’ll be rewarded with a profusion of those bouncy, 2” blooms with their lemon-yellow and pure white scalloped petals , March through June. Combine with Nemophila menziesii “Baby Blue Eyes,” both will self-sow for a harmonious show next Spring. Nice in pots too! In California, it’s an important nectar source for the Checkerspot butterfly. Every …

Scilla peruviana is a evergreen perennial makes a spring-time statement with 50 to 100 deep-blue, starry blossoms atop large, cone-shaped flowers. Grow it alongside other spring flowering bulb crops such as daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. These unique flowers have an impressively long bloom time. Short dark green strap-shaped leaves emerge in the fall to form tight rosettes to 18 inches …

Bloomerang Purple lilac (Syringa x) is a reblooming lilac. It blooms in spring along with other lilacs, takes a brief rest to put on new growth, then blooms again from mid-summer through fall. A bit smaller than other lilacs, Bloomerang also has a nice, rounded shape that looks great anywhere you plant it in the landscape. Star-like flowers are a …

Tibouchina urvilleana: A beautiful, tropical look from an evergreen shrub with huge, exotic, deep-purple flowers that will bloom throughout summer. Its upright, open-branched habit is useful as a hedge, screen or accent. Zones 10-11: Protect from frost Light Needs: Partial to full sun Watering Needs: Water regularly – weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers. Size: Up to …

“Tiger Eyes” is a new viola for 2017. 1” bright golden yellow flowers have black perfectly clear radiating veins around a central black eye. 6”-8” tall and 10” spread. Very Fragrant. I got them this year for Marie for Valentine’s Day. The Viola genus of flowering plants is in the violet family Violaceae. It is the largest genus in the …

Sunnyvale has a Mediterrean climate. This type of climate is defined by mild, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers. It is the rainfall pattern that makes the Mediterranean climate distinct. Very often, places with warm summers and mild winters receive large amounts of precipitation during the summer months. Summers in Mediterranean climates are distinctively dry. The Mediterranean climate …

Limnanthes Douglasii. California native “Meadow Foam” aka “Poached Eggs”. Not to be confused with the “Tidy Tips” flower. Not fussy about soil, it spreads into a low, shiny, weed– suppressing mat to 30” across. Very long blooming with a mass of charming, 1” clear white and lemony yellow 2-toned blooms on 10” stems. Superb as edging and swell in pots …