California Gardening: "Cottaging" in California, 1 by crystalspin

crystalspin wrote:
doss, that is the biggest, fullest Clematis I have ever seen. I tried clematis two different years but couldn't seem to find that sweet spot "feet in the shade, head in the sun", that they are said to like.

I have several "theme" mini-gardens, none are really cottage (maybe HOA-xeric-cottage variation???), but my sister is zone-envious of tender salvias, year-round lavender, and cannas.

My mom [BloomsWithaView] does cottage in Moab UT, where freezing winters with little snow for insulation, coupled with 110F, 5% humidity summers make almost any gardening a challenge -- and watering a full-time job!

Here is my "impact gardening" front walkway (looking out). Four or was it five flats of Salvia coccinea "Lady In Red"... has not stopped flowering since I put it in, even the HOA can't complain about that! The hummingbirds and the goldfinches love it. ~'spin!~