Newsletter - June 2008

Just a reminder that warm weather and daily winds bring drought and begin the fire season. This is a concern especially if you live in out-lying areas. Pine trees and eucalyptus (planted as fast growing windbreaks and privacy screens a generation ago) are especially hazardous. Prune up the bottom tree branches to prevent ground brush from touching the trees' foliage, be certain that tree branches aren't hanging over buildings, keep the underbrush low, and irrigate at least once a month. Fire departments like to see a thirty-foot wide foliage break around the house, but then you loose your landscaping and shade. The cooperative extension has a great list of fire-retardant plants. Another recommendation is to make certain that a fire truck can enter and exit your property. A ten-foot wide access drive isn't sufficient. New property developers have to put wide driveways in place before moving in, but older places often need attention. I want you to have a safe summer.

I spent a week in San Diego last month and as always went gaga over the plants that will grow in that gentler climate. The jacaranda, hibiscus, and bougainvillea, were all in bloom and must be that way most of the year. I visited "The Quail Garden" which is known for their collections of bamboo and palms, but I fell in love with a tecoma that was blooming with brilliant yellow flowers and then, totally new to me was a blooming succulent called puya. The foliage was silver and grassy like types of agave, but the four-foot tall flower spike really caught my attention. The blooms consisted of thick, iridescent dark blue-green petals and stamen of bright orange for contrast. Are any of you growing these? I want to try as Sunset says they will survive in our growth zone. I've never really learned the succulents, so I visited a retailer and came home with a starter collection.

I've cleared an area in my mother's backyard. She has different varieties of succulents and cacti scattered throughout in containers. I went around the whole garden collecting anything that looked healthy and planted everything salvageable in the ground. Now I'm in the process of identifying and adding to the groups. I especially like the echeverias, aeoniums, and haworthias. I'm adding sedums, different species of ice plant, cute sempervivums, fuzzy cotyledons, stately agaves and graceful aloes. I feel as though I've discovered a whole new plant assemblage to use for unexpected texture and color combinations. What's not to like? Once I'm comfortable with the species and see which ones tolerate the in-ground environment through the next year, I'll begin to introduce them into other people landscapes. I tend to like lush appearances and if left on my own will over plant, but I can see how these species could be used in either tropical, or arid landscape styles.

In the vegetable garden, I'm still adding eggplant and cucumbers, fertilizing and irrigating and eating strawberries. My 'Little Elf" tomato has tiny green fruits - I love cherry tomatoes. Can't wait to sample these. The plant I'm most excited about this month though is one I just purchased -- a night-blooming jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum). My mother-in law had one at her Napa home when my husband and I were dating. I'll never forget the wonder fragrance on warm August nights perfuming the whole garden and house too if the windows were left open. If you get one, give it an east-facing location and average garden irrigation. It needs an area about four feet wide, but don't be surprised if it grows between eight to twelve feet tall. Jessamine (not jasmine) is also deciduous. Use it with evergreens that have pretty flowers, because even though these blossoms have a powerful scent, they are not showy.

My yearly growth of new bamboo shoots has out done themselves for height and girth. The spears exploded from the ground after that heat spell and are now taller than the house growing between one to three feet a day. Wow! I'm so impressed.

That's all for this month - have a good one.