Asparagus & Agave are Cousins
Have you ever noticed how the emerging flower stalk of an agave resembles an asparagus spear? It turns out that both agave and asparagus are in the same botanical family (Asparagaceae). Agave, howeve...
Category Archives: Best Garden Plants
Tropical Exotics Thrive in Valley Garden
At first glance, Jerry Esten’s affable and relaxed demeanor strikes you as that of someone who could be retired, more or less. But when you take a stroll through his backyard and see the large ...
Bells of Ireland Flourish in Israel
For years, I had seen bells of Ireland in seed and plant catalogues — at least before plant catalogues, much like daily newspapers, became an endangered species. Every time I saw its picture, I imagi...
New Zealand Flax for Foundation Planting
With new Los Angeles Department of Water & Power water restrictions starting Monday, people are creating gardens that only need watering twice a week, since Mondays and Thursdays are the only da...
Meadow Gardens & Queen’s Wreath
The idea of a lush woodland meadow garden in Los Angeles sounds as far-fetched as growing cactus in Manhattan until you visit Manhattan and notice how many apartments have a cactus plant or two perch...
Brooms & Natives
One of the advantages of learning about and becoming a lover of plants is the alleviation of boredom when you’re driving. For the botanically inspired, each turn in the road carries with it a c...
Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry
In all of Los Angeles, there could not be a more stunning plant than the one currently blooming outside the east-facing wall of the Mid-Valley Regional Library in North Hills. It has pendulous cherry...
Lemon Verbena: A Must Have Plant
Some plants should be in everybody’s garden, and lemon verbena is one of them. Lemon verbena is not a glamorous plant, and that is probably why everyone likes it; what one person considers gorg...
Plant Paradise in Madeira & Canary Islands
One of the botanical expeditions I have dreamed about at some length would take me to Madeira and the Canary Islands. These islands are situated in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Africa. T...
Selecting Plants for a Shade Garden
There is nothing I welcome more than the challenge of selecting plants for a shade garden. Perhaps this is because no two shade gardens are alike. That is, all shade gardens receive different amounts...
