If you purchased a living Christmas tree, now is the time to consider taking down the ornaments and bringing the tree outside to plant, or at least keep it in a shady location until soil dries enough to plant. Think about the location you are going to plant the tree [...]

Fall, winter, and early spring are good times to plant our native and also the drought tolerant plants. In our mild climate, these plants which can endure drought during the summer to varying degrees are now making vigorous root growth. They do this as part of their response to a [...]

Some of the most spectacular of camellia blooms are the cvs. with two colors in the petals, the bordered or picoteed flowers. Here you will find a base color as the main color of the petal, spectacularly edged with another contrasting color. Some of the favorites in this group are [...]

Most people know the common camellia japonica in perhaps a half dozen varieties which are mass produced. There is great variety beyond just those few. The current count is upwards of 1,000 cvs. although not all are in current production. There are also a couple other species which are present [...]

Now is the beginning of the camellia season and there are many exciting new things awaiting the gardener! Much hybridizing work has been done and we now have fragrant camellias, new species which make excellent garden subject of outstanding merit, unusual floral colors and patterns, and unusual foliages and growth [...]

With the recent rains and cold, there are a few garden tasks to be done. First of all, check to see that plants under eaves or heavy foliage larger plants(evergreen trees, large evergreen shrubs, etc.) have moist soil in the root zone. The first rains often miss saturating those areas [...]

The recent cold spell is a mixed blessing for gardeners. For the plants needing cold dormancy, it is wonderful, and for those tender things, it is not welcomed. Frost protection is key for those species and keeping all plants well watered is the first step. Then check your plants and [...]

With winter coming and the holiday season upon us, adding a bit of color in containers creates a festive mood. You can do this several ways by either larger broad containers filled with mixed plantings, or grouping container plants together to make a larger display. There are several advantages to [...]

One of the traditional times to plant for optimum results is in the fall. The day temperatures are colling which makes it easier on the above ground parts of the plant and the soil is still warm, promoting good root growth before winter cold comes. All growth that plants make [...]

To give the garden that touch of tropical air, try the easy to grow flowering gingers. (they are botanically known under Alpinia, Hedychium, and Zingber (the more hardy types) and there are many from which to choose, but few are available. You have to look for them to get more [...]