Milkweeds, Dragon Trees, Star Clusters

I never stop visiting the Sepulveda Garden Center since each time I visit I learn something new.  The Center is located on both sides of  Magnolia Boulevard, just east of Hayvenhurst Avenue, in Encin...

7 Plant Wonders of Los Angeles

Below is a list of what are, in my humble opinion, the seven wonders of the Los Angeles plant world, as well as some honorable mentions. 1.  I initially thought of making such a list many years ago w...

Staghorn Fern Staggers the Mind

Otto von Bismarck, the powerful diplomatic deal maker of 19th century Europe, is famously quoted as saying that politics is “the art of the possible.”  Horticulture, by contrast, could be defined as ...

Arboreta, Patience, & Australian Trees

If you want to learn the meaning – that is, the beauty – of patience, visit a botanical garden or arboretum. I recently had the opportunity to do so in Arcadia, where the Los Angeles Coun...

Formal Gardens and a Bellflower Passion

Michael DeHart lives from the heart. He is a man generous with his time and with his knowledge. He is devoted to his work and says he will never give up his job. DeHart is the horticulturist of the J...

Huntington’s Ultimate Plant Sale

Last weekend’s annual plant sale at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino was something to behold, once you got out of the parking lot. At the Huntington, there is a remarkable collect...

Weidner’s Gardens

In mild climates like ours, gardeners take pride in discovering plants that flower nonstop throughout the year. Such plants may eventually get boring, but until they have been around for a few years ...

Theodore Payne Foundation

If it has been a while since you last visited the Theodore Payne Foundation Nursery in Sun Valley, I highly recommend you go back and take another look. For years, although the people working there m...

Loren Zeldin’s Exotic Garden

On the surface, Loren Zeldin would seem to be an outstanding example of predictability. Fifty-five years old, he has lived in the same house in Reseda his entire life. He has held but one job since g...