Helichrysum argyrophyllum, the Golden Guinea Everlasting Daisy, makes a great groundcover in open sunny spots and is perfect for sunny rock-gardens. This South African native has small silver/grey leaves and from late summer into autumn it is covered with masses of bright yellow everlasting daisies. This is a tough plant that will survive heat, drought and even frost. We purchased …
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Cyclamen is a great winter-flowering plant that loves light shade. You can grow in indoors or out. I am currently using them as a winter highlight in my former firepit. The red cyclamen is classic for the winter holidays. This salmon variety is also pretty. Strong stems bear vibrant, filly flowers well above attractive, silver-mottled leaves. In the summer, the …
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Hebe speciosa, its many cultivars and hybrids are very popular garden plants in area with suitably mild temperate climates. They appeal because of their lush evergreen foliage, showy flowerheads, long blooming season and ease of cultivation. They are used to form borders, low hedges, bushes and potted patios for patios and terraces. They are ideal for coastal gardens due to …
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New to our Sunnyvale garden in 2020 are Gerbera daisy flowers. The blooms are large (4 inches across) and have a central disk that can be yellowish, light-bronze, or dark in color. This disk is surrounded by rays that come in a variety of colors. The colors are most commonly yellow, red, or orange. However, growers have also produced varieties …
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From the north of Italy, the artichoke of aristocrats. This choke has small oval slightly elongated head 3 inches wide by 5 inches long. mouthwatering flavor. Fruit is more elongated than the green globe type. The edible thistle first appeared in Italy and Sicily as early as 200-300 B.C. It may be a descendant of C. cardunculus, the wild cardoon …
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Cuphea hyssopifolia, commonly called Mexican heather, is native from Mexico to Guatemala. It is a rounded, densely branched 1-2’ tall tropical sub-shrub. It produces quaint, small, trumpet-shaped flowers with six spreading lavender petals and green calyx tubes. Flowers appear singly in the leaf axils along stems crowded with lance-shaped glossy green leaves (to 3/4” long). Blooms profusely summer to frost. …
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The scientific name for daylily is Hemerocallis. The word Hemerocallis is derived from two Greek words meaning “beauty” (callos) and “day” (hemera), referring to the fact that each flower lasts only one day. To make up for this, there are many flower buds on each daylily flower stalk, and many stalks in each clump of plants, so, the flowering period …
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Grape Hyacinth is one of the first spring flowers and has a great fragrance. The first time you plant them should be in November. The plants naturalize (meaning that the next year’s flowers are the same). Severe poisoning from hyacinth or tulip poisoning is often seen when dogs dig up freshly planted bulbs or having access to a large bag …
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Our native Pacific Coast irises include 11 species that produce flowers in shades of white, yellow, pink, lavender, even USC-worthy cardinal and gold. Most of the Pacific Coast irises, or Pacificas, sold in California are from a single species, Iris douglasiana. To learn about the foliage and flower distinctions behind each species classification, there is no better source than the …
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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).
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