California Gardening: Northern Cal-Annie's Annuals, 1 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
DD, Thanks for the offer, but the orange one grows wild here. State has it as a weed. I like it, the wild life loves it so what's the problem? It doesn't spread far and wide, like the English do :-}.

Dr Don,

Temecula? Do they even have a grocery store up there? Where's the nearest Safeway - Bakersfield?
Salvia are an under used plant here. And I can say without fear that too many plants are under used here. We have the top 100 plants from the wholesalers and all 100 wholesalers have the same 100 plants for the same price. I miss the diversity of the CA plant industry. You have to get all the good stuff from 'collectors'. Every landscape in this town, done by a professional has at least one Ligustrum and a bed of Asiatic jasmine.
Top Tropicals has been hit by 2 big hurricanes and some minor storms too. Things are not going well for them and they don't have there 'normal' selection. Miami area has a great plant industry, too bad it is 6 hours away from home or I would go more than once a year.

Sue,

The last time I was at Filoli that bed had just been planted. I remember my 1st visit to Filoli. Was it 68 or 69. The gardens were in a state of disrepair or despair. Things have changed there and that is one nice photo. I used to work over the hill at the College of Notre Dame and I was always trying to get my boss up there so we could make the campus a little more cheerful. At the college turf ruled.

Kell,

You are right about the Wisteria display, walking up from the parking area to the front on the right day is brilliant. It is one of the best and their use of spring bulbs was great. Although if you drive around Berkeley they have some neighborhoods that put on quite a show too. A big part of the credit has to go to Berkeley Hort. Nursery. They have been carrying all the cultivars for decades and it really shows.

It is after 9 here and time to get ready for another day. I am spreading washed shell on a driveway tomorrow. I think I will pop a couple wheelies in the Bobcat just to keep the day interesting.
Dale, the Gardener