Flowers

Marigold – Jolly Jester

The Jolly Jester Marigolds are beautiful and versatile. They tolerate poor conditions. Plant at the ends of your rows for a beautiful and powerful natural pest protector, in front of your pea or bean fence for decorative border. Flowers are edible and also used in teas. Bloom from late summer through fall. Mine are still blooming in November in Sunnyvale! …

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Watsonia

red watsonia flowers

Watsonia bulbs are an excellent example of how simple gardening can be when the right plant is matched to suitable growing conditions. Fresh watsonia bulbs are available from early September through mid November only. They naturalize so you can leave them in the soil for next year. Use a large, heavy container; watsonia grow 4-6 feet tall. Fill your containers …

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Buddleja

Butterfly Bush, Summer Lilac, Orange-eye Butterfly Bush, Buddleja fallowiana ‘Lochinch’   Family: Buddlejaceae Genus: Buddleja (BUD-lee-uh) (Info) Species: fallowiana (fal-low-ee-AH-nuh) (Info) Cultivar: Lochinch   Synonym:Buddleia fallowiana   Category: Shrubs   Height: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m) 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)   Spacing: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 …

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Helichrysum argyrophyllum

Helichrysum argyrophyllum is a tough and beautiful groundcover. Awesome for spilling over rocks, walls or for edging and containers, the small glistening, almost metallic, ever-silvery leaves and stems of this South African native construct a solid, trailing and ground-hugging mat. And even awesomer, from mid-Summer thru Fall it almost covers itself with showy little canary-yellow “strawflowers” that last for months …

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Flowering Plum

The Flowering Plum is the first tree to flower in my Sunnyvale garden (USDA zone 9). In normal years, it flowers mid-February. Also known as cherry plum or myrobalan plum, flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera) is a small to medium-sized ornamental tree native to Asia. Purple-leaved cultivars, such as the popular Thundercloud, are more common in the home landscape than the …

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Basil – Thai

Holy Basil, Thai Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum   Family: Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info) Genus: Ocimum (OSS-ih-mum) (Info) Species: sanctum (SANK-tum) (Info) Synonym:Ocimum tenuiflorum   Category: Herbs   Height: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)   Spacing: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)   Hardiness: USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)   Sun Exposure: Full Sun …

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Foxglove – Dark Rose Angel Mist

Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater. Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season. Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive. The bad news is that foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) does not occur as a perennial. It is a biennial, meaning that …

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Borage

Borage is a pretty herb for summer and fall. Borage is a freely seeding, easy growing annual plant with vivid blue flowers and leaves with the flavor of cucumbers. It is consider an herb, but is often grown as a flower in vegetable gardens where it attracts pollinating bees and is considered a good companion plant for tomatoes, squash and …

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Cuphea – Flamenco Red

Many gardeners have learned the value of Cuphea for summer long flowers. We value them not only for the small, attractive flowers, but also for the hummingbirds, butterflies, and nectar-feeding insects that swarm around them. Aka Bat-Face Cuphea, St. Peter’s Plant, Tiny Mice, Bunny Ears, Cuphea llavea. Cuphea is a family of plants containing about 115 species according to the …

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Walker’s Low Flower

Walker’s Low Flower, aka Catmint. Catmint is one of the toughest perennials you can grow. It’s a proven performer during hot, dry weather, and the silvery foliage and blue flowers look great most of the season. Deadhead or cut back hard after first flush of bloom to encourage more flowers. Average, well-drained soil is usually sufficient. Tall types may need …

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