Anigozanthos – The Smarter Gardener

A Pause for Kangaroo Paws

August 11, 2014 no comments

The kangaroo paw, when properly grown, is one of the most dramatic plants for Los Angeles gardens. Its flower stems can grow to 6 feet, and it will bloom from spring to fall. The most outstanding loc...

Kangaroo Paws

March 24, 2014 no comments

When browsing nursery perennials and studying their labels, I have noticed there is one vital piece of information that is never included: life expectancy. I do not know if this tidbit of data would ...

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A Glimpse of Paradise

Visitng Sherman Gardens is like spending time in a great museum. After an hour or so, you reach a saturation point and sigh, “There are just too many treasures to absorb in a single visit. I’ll just have to come back again to fully appreciat...

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Peruvian Lilies

Japanese Garden in Los Angeles

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Oxalis: Strong as an Ox, Sour as a Lemon

There is a certain plant that has remarkable strength. I always think of an ox when reading about it or hearing its name and for an obvious reason: it’s called oxalis. Yet the etymology of oxalis has nothing to do with an ox. The word is derived f...

A Living Fence of Pyracantha

I’m looking for some kind of bush or shrub or vine that will help to create a security barrier over a 3 foot high chain link fence, that will grow to around 5 or 6 feet or so, will look decent maybe with some nice blooms and if I’m lucky I can get aw...

A Living Fence of Pyracantha

Larkspur/Annual Delphinium

Red Monkey Flower

Red monkey flower (Diplacus puniceus) is an evergreen perennial that you ignore all year long for the sake of its arresting spring bloom, although it may flower on and off throughout the year. Water it more than once a month — even in fast-dra...