There are as many opinions about roses as there are roses. Everyone who grows roses has and is entitled to their own opinion on what the best roses are and what characteristics in roses are most important. For
Fame Roses
Cut Flowers in February & March
February is usually the coldest and wettest month of the year in Southern California which begs the question………why would I want to garden??
My first, personal answer is that I always love to garden, in particular to grow flowers
Plant Pansies Now
December is the perfect month to plant Pansies and their smaller cousins, Violas. Pansies and I have a long history. My Mother, from whom I inherited my love for gardening, planted a long border of Pansies
Cyclamen | From Fancy to Favorite
Cyclamen, which used to be florist specialty plants, have moved to the front of the pack for fall/winter planting, not only in gardens, but especially in containers on patios. Even commercial landscapers are planting masses of Cyclamen. Unlike
Glory and Salvation
Late summer and early fall can be challenging times for Southern California gardeners, usually the hottest months of the year, but also the time when we move to outdoor living and want our gardens to shine.
In the months
Basils for Bounty and Beauty
Basil is one of the most popular spices in the world, included in recipes for all types of food.
Growing your own Basil is both fun and frugal.
All Basils (yes, all for as you will see there are lots
Free Plants
Certain ornamental plants are not only stars in the garden, but also will re-seed prolifically, thereby providing “free plants.”
For some gardeners this can be a bonus, for others it can mean pests.
Here are five of these free-seeders, all
Dahlia Days Begin Now
For summer flowers, there is nothing better than the Dahlia family. Now that June is ending and July is beginning, it is not too late to include Dahlias in your garden, both in the ground and in pots.
High Time For Pansies
March is high time for Pansies and Violas. If you planted them earlier, they should be in full bloom, but it’s not too late to plant them now.
Pansies and I have a long history. My Mother, from whom
