Jurassic Garden of Cycads
It was in 1989 that Maurice Levin, who was visiting Caneel Bay in the Virgin Islands, noticed the uniqueness of cycads for the first time. He asked his guide about them and learned that these 100-mil...
Category Archives: Landscapes
Rain Puts Smiles on Gardeners’ Faces
For the nongardening resident of Los Angeles, rain is nothing but a burden. Rain lengthens the daily commute. If you forgot to rake the leaves off your roof, your rain gutters will overflow and creat...
Italian Buckthorn: from Los Angeles to Jerusalem
At long last, there is a plant whose character as an evergreen shrub or small tree is unimpeachable. The Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus) may be used as a background plant, as a hedge or screen,...
Plant Explorer in our Midst
Leon Massoth, plant explorer and landscape designer extraordinaire, travels the tropical latitudes seeking rare treasures. His devoted clients eagerly await his return each time he ventures across th...
Cold Stimulates Flowering
At 9000 Winnetka Ave. in Northridge there is a surprising and curious site: A blood red trumpet vine is blooming its head off. No matter that it is the middle of winter and this plant normally starts...
Emu Bush: Friend of the Desert
Many plants native to southwestern Australia, South Africa, the Mediterranean and Southern California look their most glorious in mid- to late winter. The reason is that i...
Learn Patience from a Saucer Magnolia
Could patience be a vanishing virtue? Could expectation soon be a relic, replaced by the demand for instant gratification? When evaluating a plant for placement in the garden, the length of time it b...
What to Grow Under Redwood Trees
Q. I have 11 coast redwoods in my yard. They are beautiful, BUT it is very difficult to find anything to grow under them. Between the root system, soil acidity and the shade, my options are limited. ...
Firescaping
‘Firescaping” is a word invented for those who are prepared to live near the wilderness without illusions. If you make your home in close proximity to chaparral – the dominant ecosy...
Gold Discovered in Lantana
The heat of this past summer may have finally given way to cooler autumn days, yet two plants continue to make a determined display of blazing orange flowers, reminiscent of the sun. In fact, ...
