Gardendelightsnursery’s Blog
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Winter planting
Even with the rains and inclement weather, NOW is a very good time to plant, especially natives and xeriscape(drought tolerant) species. Remember that drought tolerant plants do much of their root growth now, when the weather is cool and moisture abundant. Their growth cycle allows them to do much root growth now to prepare for the coming spring flush of flowers and leaves, and then be well established for the dry summer and fall, (and often early winter) months. Particularly showy species like the native iris and their numerous hybrids (which are amazingly beautiful and bright in colors) are best planted now. They are coming into a natural growth cycle (roots appear first, then leaf and flowers/top growth). I prefer these iris species and hybrids to many others, since their evergreen grassy foliage is attractive once bloom is over. They are very low maintenance. In coastal areas, they are virtually carefree! Plant them, water to get established and sit back to enjoy their flowers. In hot climates, you need to supply additional moisture and they do appreciate partial shade if in very hot areas.
Other natives offer a wide range of easy care plants and colorful flowers in season. Salvias and penstemons are used on a regular basis in the landscape industry, but these are the most available types. If you care to search into the genus of both a little more extensively, you will find wondrous beauties that are not at all commonly available. You have to seek out specialist growers, seed sources, native plant societies and botanic gardens, etc! Here are amazing plants for the drier landscape and garden. They love going drier in summer and fall… water tolerance at those times becomes a survival issue…too much and you may lose the plant. But copious amounts of winter and spring moisture will get the plant well off to good growth in spring and summer drought tolerance. Taper off watering at that time until rains come in fall, winter. Especially important if you are planting wild species that go summer dormant, semidormant due to dry conditions.
Special garden gems coming into bloom now are Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), heathers (Erica and Calluna spp and cvs.) Christmas heather, etc. others have foliage color besides their blooms! , and species with showy bark also come into their own during the winter months.
Don’t forget conifers! They come in a vast array of sizes, colors, textures and growing conditions. Some tolerate boggy soils, others dry and cold tolerance from their alpine habitats. Many make excellent container plants! their special characteristics shine out when they are highlighted with container planting.
Blueberries are the neglected showy shrubs for containers! Their acid soil preferences are easily satisfied with potting mixes in container plantings. They are 4 season plants, having attractive features in all seasons AND they are edibles! Tree ripened fruits are SO MUCH tastier than store bought since they ripen to perfection on your bush, and you pluck those savory blue gems when fully ripe and flavorful from bush to cereal bowl! AND they grow FAST as well… friends planted 2 gallon sized plants and the following year or two, had copious fruits over a long bearing season (months) and plenty for blueberry pies! (nothing compares to ripe blueberries in blueberry pies!, not even in the same catagory as ANY store bought berry)
*A new blueberry of mention is the PINK blueberry! wonderful taste AND in PINK! YES, the berries are PINK, not blue
Additionally, the bush is showy in winter. stems are red with bark colors! (typical blueberries have green bark in winter. noticeable, but not as showy)
So blueberries are the much underused edible plant for the garden. patio. landscape! Regular and consistent crops(more if you have several cvs. to increase pollination), 4 seasons of interest: spring is blossoms, summer has ornamental fruits, fall gives wonderful foliage colors, winter has showy bark.
Easy care, minimal pruning, and you have time to enjoy the garden! Sit back and relax over morning coffee, OJ, cereal / pancakes, waffles sprinkled with blueberries you grew yourself (easy) and tasty! *much better tasting than store bought.
additionally, you know exactly what chemicals are used (or more importantly NOT used) on your plants!
Plant now. for spring blooms, summer harvest!
Garden tasks now
Preparing the garden for winter is important now. General clean up, pruning out of dead growth, clearing drains, weeding are all important for the garden now.
You can prepare for the coming spring by visiting the nursery now to see what is available for winter color, foliage, etc. and spring blooms. You can also think about ordering seeds, and getting prepared to sow them, having all the necessary items for that sowing. Heat mat, grow location, grow iights if you chose to do so, selection of seed varieties, etc.
Division of many clumping plants can be done now as well. Iris, native iris, clumping perennials in general can all be divided now and they will make lots of root growth and ready to bloom heavily next spring, summer.
Camellia species *choice uncommon types)
Camellias are well tried garden favorites. There are great surprises in camellias if you happen to check into the rare/uncommon species. C. reticulata has probably the most spectacular flowers of the genus. Very large blooms with fluted, ruffled petals. Most cvs. are semidouble, but there are formal, rose form, peony form, and singles available. These are not necessarily attractive plants out of bloom. C. reticulata can grow tall, to 50 ft in 300 yrs. so has a gaunt open habit as a young plant.
C. transnokoensis is a gem. Simply wonderful. Fine textured small foliage and white blooms (buds are tipped buff red) are small and profuse. They offer light fragrance as well. Very graceful frondlike branching, giving a slightly arching specimen shrub. Elegant is a good way to describe the plant.
C. tsaii is just a wonderful thing. Here you get narrow long pointed leaves. The margins are wavy and graceful. Small white fragrant flowers in profusion are pendant on the branches. This can mature at 20 ft. and so heavy blooming that you can see a carpet of snowy white flowers beneathe a fully bloomed shrub filled with masses of blooms.
C. nokoensis is similar to C. transnokoensis, but will perhaps a more pendant growth and less shiny leaves (more dull, almost grey green leaf) Small white blooms, wonderful textural specimen plant.
C. assimilis is much admired for its new growth, dainty foliage is bronze red when young. pendant growth habit, very graceful.
C. salicifolia is another in the similar style. narrow small foliage is almost willow like. Small white flowers. Wonderful.
C. cuspidata is a very long bloomer. Rather open growth (sun tolerant too), this has white single blooms that blossom over a very long period, up to 4-5 months) Growth is open and upright, makes a nice backround specimen.
C. synaptica is just this wonderful thing with an exceptional fragrance (think citrus blossom fragranced). It looks similar to C. ssanqua in leaf, and flower, but the white blossoms are nicely scented. upright bushy growth.
C. chekiangoleosa is still rare, but the saturated red blooms make it a standout in any landscape! The color comes through often in the hybrid progeny, so look for new cvs. of this in the future.
All have similar cultural needs to the common camellia (C. japonica) well drained acid soil, lots of organic matter, ample watering and part shade (for most types. some are very sun tolerant)
All make excellent evergreen garden subjects.
See many of them at the nursery!
How to grow CA natives and drought tolerant plants
With the necessity of having to consider water shortages, restrictions, planting CA natives and xerixcape plants offers the gardener with an amazing array of plants. Besides the plants which immediately come to mind (cactus and succulents) there are lots of plant choices to be found here. Planting them now (fall & winter) will allow them their best time to establish before next summer’s dry period. Fall and winter rains provide moisture to get the roots established (if it is a dry year, you should irrigate) and much growth happens during fall and winter. That growth is mainly with the roots. Natives (Mediterranean climate species) do lots of growing when their rainy season comes (for us, fall and winter, and into spring). They may not show much above ground growth, but they are making LOTS of root growth at this time. Especially showy are the native iris (I. douglasiana) hybrids and related species. The are showing much root growth starting in December and can be divided at this time (before those new roots get too long). Hybridizers suggest dividing in October and placing the new divisions in water, until new roots begin, and then plant. Good drainage is essential and if planted/divided during this time, the plants will establish themselves to bloom abundantly for spring and be well established for the summer/fall dry period. These are amazing perennials, very easy care, (almost care free) and come in a big variety of colors, color combinations.) Additionally, they have attractive grassy evergreen foliage (not like some species which tend to look unkept after their bloom is over)
The woody species (trees and shrubs) offer much variety for the landscape. They can be quite showy in bloom. Many have additional features of interest(ie. bark in manzanitas), seed heads in Cercocarpus, fruits in Toyon) Their common trait is that much root growth happens during the rainy season and before spring bloom and growth. Good drainage is important for many drought tolerant species and you must provide this, or you may have little success with them. Visit the nursery to see about many unusual/ rare types.
Succulents are very popular now and rightfully so. They come in an infinite variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. They have the beneficial quality of easy care, and fire resistance in most types. Many landscae uses from ground cover to specimen accent, depending on which types are selected. They are not boring at all, since there is much interest in them now and enthusiasts have made a great many kinds available. The Sedums alone provide an almost inexhaustable amount of choices and sizes. A particular favorite is Calendrinia spectabilis, a succulent mounding perennial, heavy flowering, each rosette of foliage ends with a bloom stalk that opens a new flower each day for months! It is quick growing also, a small sized plant will grow to over 3 ft across in just 1 year. Magenta cup shaped flowers provide a very showy display from late spring to frost.
The important thing about CA natives is to plant them in the cool season for best results and growth, but remember, ANYTIME is good to plant if you plant from containers.
Early Blooming Camellias
Campfire is another profuse blooming very early bright red single C. japonica cv. not well known at all, but exceedingly showy and brilliant with its profuse flowering in the early camellia season! Makes a wonderful garden specimen also.
NEW small sized plant for sale!
Garden Delights is now offering a new line of small sized rare plants of all types…. trees, shrubs, perennials, edibles, succulents, bulbs, etc.
Come in to see many rare plants in small economical sizes!
Early Blooming Camellias
The hoiday season is a wonderful time to have flowers and there are rare/uncommon varieties and species of camellias that bloom now to privide color and a change from the ubiquitous poinsettias. Camellias are well known favorites and these are some of the NEW cvs. which bloom now. Some are well tried favories like the many C. sasanqua cvs. C. japonica San Dimas is a bright medium sized semidouble red, showing a bright boss of yellow stamens. You can have this blooming for Christmas in December, and then later as the bloom season progresses. Tama no Ura has produced several hybrids, each typical of the parent petal coloration. Red with white borders. Tama no Ura is single, Tama Bell is also single, charming bell shaped, red and white, Tama Peacock is spectacular in its shuttlecock flower shape and quite showy with more petals. Additionally, it has a pendant growth habit, very elegant in the garden. Tama Vino is dramatic in its deep wine red color, bordered in spectacular white. Also semidouble, it has very showy flowers. There are more cvs. from this hybridizing effort. Black Magic is a deep maroon with shiny laquered petals. Semidouble flowers on a plant with interesting serrated foliage (like a cherry leaf) and also showy with deep maroon new growth. There are also white and pink earlier cvs. in C. japonica, but not as coordinated in color for holiday color schemes as the red flowered cvs.
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