California Garden, Vol. 100, No.4, July-August 2009

2009·5.2 MB·English

by  San Diego Floral Association

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msjnsiiiffSMCfsnirsji
Retrospective: 1969-1988
Water Smart Gardening
,
I
Featuring Selected Regional Artists
Sunday, August 23
n AM - 6 PM
PearlFryar,thestarof"AMan
NamedPearl,"iscomingto
QuailBotanicalGardens.During
GardenExpressions,anannual
eventfeaturingthearea'sfinest
artists.PearlFryarofinternational
acclaimwillbeturningordinary
plantsintofancifulcreations.
TheGardenswillbebuzzing
withartistsofallkinds-sculptors,
J
painters,potters,fiberartists,
r^^ gourddesigners,andmore-a
rareopportunitytobuyfromthe
best.Therewillalsobepockets
ofmusicandfinefood.
Comeone,comeall,helpus
celebratethecreativespirit
inspiredbytheplantingsat
QuailBotanicalGardens.And
don'tforgetthekids-children's
activitiesabound.
Cost:Includedinthepriceofadmission
i
230QuailGardensDrive, EncinitasCA
www.qbgardens.org
>
.
California
GARDEN
ThhMagazinefor Hands-OnGardenersandFloraeDesigners
July/August 2009.Volume 100.Number4
PUBLICATIONSTAFF DIG IN
EXECUTIVEEDHOR FlowersforYourHair 4
MaryJames Coprosma:APlantThatShines 5
MANAGINGEDITOR FavoriteTool:JapaneseGrassSickle 6
AmyR.Wood FriendorFoe:Thrips 6
LIBRARIAN SaveWaterbyConvertingYourLawn 7
TreesofBalboaPark:GoldMedallionTree 7
JeanC.Hughes
DeliciousPlants 8
EDITORIALINTERN
AllisonHooker FEATURES
CONTRIBUTINGEDITORS
NancyCarolCarter,JeanetteDutton, CaliforniaGardenRetrospective: 1969-1988 10
JohnGreenlee.KayHarry,AlyssaHolderbein, Grown-UpGrasses 12
MargeHoward-Jones,JohnNoble, MeadowLands 22
ElizabethV.Phillips.GregRubin. WaterSmarts 24
NanSterman.DeniseThompson.
ConstanceWhitney
REGULARS
ARTDIRECTOR
RachelCobb BookReviews 16
ADVERTISING NowistheTime 18
Ka\ Harry Calendar 28
AFFILIATELISTING AffiliateList 33
JeannetteDutton FromtheArchives 36
RENEWALS
LisaPrindle
)}ii')}ihi'rship(fisclfionil.()r{> CaliforniaGarde)}
EDITORIALBOARD PublishedbySanDiegoFloralAssociationfor100years
LibraryofCongressISSN0008-1116
DorothyCarroll.NancyCarolCarter, President:NancyCarolCarter{president©sdfloral.org)
KaCoynsHatrarnyc.eJWohhintnNeoyb.leA,mLyucRy.WWaorroedn, Headquarters:CaArsraadneglerPsraGduoi.ldRoChoamir#:1S0u5z,aBnanleboMaicPhaerlk,619-232-5762
SPECIALTHANKS Hours:Monday-Friday,10:00a.m.-3:00p.m.
Now isthe TimeContributors.PaulRedeker. www.sdfloral.org
DonWalker.SanDiegoHorticulturalSociety
Claiiiisandopinionsexpressedbyad\eitisersdononecessarilyrcllectthe\ie\\softheeditorand
Wewelcomearticles,photographs,drawingsand publisherofCalifornia(janlcnmagazine.CopiesofCaliforniaGardencanbeorderedbymailfor
ideas.Deadlinesarethe 10thofJanuary.March. $4percopyplus$2shippingandhandling.SinglecopiesofthecurrentissueofCaliforniaCardcn
Ma>.Jul\.SeptemberandNovember.Wedonot magazinecanbepurchasedforadonationof$4atthelocationslistedbelow.
pa) forarticlesorartwork.Wecannotguarantee LosAngelesArboretumFoundation,626-821-3222,301N.BaldwinAve.,Arcadia,CA91006
thesafereturnofmaterials.CaliforniaGarden MissionHillsNursery,619-295-2808.1525FortStocktonDr.,SanDiego,CA92103
tastrmNehhaetonetostteesaerre\cnitvhiooadeemlfsowe.urtsnsthstheeWoose'maneieurittninahghtaehoCsMtrokiDe\sc'.tdroiatnotnhAsaeoaldtdrmtliisdefttoodsoapufninWpbonyrmCotioiaronadlsdneunissccfdietodosesroansxincsalpiiursramisebileuseGnynbsatmterereisedndmtf,delataeenierdocl.de,rt SCWWWInoaaaaallntHstteatDeerarirrlemCAAgooSnnonnaddsygFeeee,lrrrossv(HreeJaaeanntlrribAdNNosseuunsnrraoiss(cnn;eeidgarra,ryytSd,,i6peo1i68nnc915,,e-98s266--,21125396921--1-435692--26-384202229-92-700,35106-7,,31866340218.65,25417C12,5V2a5o1Es1ln28Datt26aae2dniC-reri1lpeue/rlyPS2istars.oBame,nadaSSocCcta,to.an.,n,RSCDoSPaoitool.nev,lgmveoDSag,iay1ee,n0Cg5DCoA,Dr,iA.S9eCaWg29nAeo12s,00D9t66Ci2,4e1A-gE1o6l90,8C24Ca17j0Ao7n9,21C0A192019
anroerniostcrmietnitciiosmneidm.pliedo\'similarproductsthat FLOWERSHOWS: Showchairperson,pleasecontactCaliforniaGardenifyou'dlikethe
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Sendalleditorialmaterialandchangeofaddressto: California Garden (ISSN (XX)X-II16) is published bimonthl> for donations (which also include
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SKaxnSODEielgPor,aCdoA^I92O1?01-1684 C912A68.14.P1©-O1S62T8(4XM)A9orSSTtaonEmRDc:niiehSgeeornsFldluopar(dafdlirAe.ss\sdsfolccoihraaaltn.igoorenis>.tAoilCarligfhotrsnrieaseGravredde.nP.er1i6o.Sd(i)caHIlsPproasdtoag//e10.p'=aii.dSaatnSDainegDoi,egCoA,
Email:[email protected]
Californiadanli'i! .luly/August2009I 1
President's Letter
At the time ofthis writing, planning for two big Floral Association events is underway.
TheHistoricGardenTourwillhavecomeandgonebythetimethis letterispublished,but it is
impressivetoseethetimeandeffort involved in hostingthisevent.There are manyjobstobe
donetomakethelourasuccessandroom forevery vokmteerskill orinterest. Atthecenterot
itallistheagreementofsomeverygeneroushomeownerstoopentheirgardenstottiur-takers.
Doyouhaveagardenwithahistory?Wewouldliketoknowabout it.eitherasacandidatelora
futuregardentourorawrite-upinommagazine.
The second Floral Association event of the summer will commcnH>ratc the centennial
ofCalifornia Garden magazine. Our magazine debuted in July 1^)09 and we will launch our
centennial book, California Garden: CeiUennial Coniplhnion 1^)09-2009. in .lul\ 2009. The
bookpresentsaselectionofarticlesfromthepast 100yearsofthemagazine.Theretrospective
review ofCalifornia Gardens first century allows us to marvel that "everything old is new
again." As water shortages change the way we garden and bring to mind the historic water
problems ofSan Diego, we find leadership from Calif>rnia Garden as a long-time champion
of water-wise gardening and the use of native plants in landscapes. As slow food, home
gardens and fruit growing emerge as the latest trends, we look back at California Garden's
many practical articles on producing food. As Earth Day makes news, we celebrate our
magazine's early voice of support for conservation and the preservation of our canyons
and native trees. For more information on our July book launch, check our website
(www.sdfloral.ori^)orcalltheFloraloffice(619-232-5762).
As we celebrate the century mark of our magazine, the Calif)rnia Garden Centennial
Fund Campaign continues. We have gratefully received some generous gifts that will help
produceourcentennialbookandsupportthefutureofourmagazine,ifyouha\enot>ethadan
opportunitytoshowyoursupport,yourgiftinanyamountisverywelcome.
SOCIATION
Caltfomi
GARD
NancyCarolCarter
President.2008-09
V.
Lwr 'T)
Centennial
Compflation \
1509-2009 <^^
ft
California Garden Centennial Fund
SEQUOIA'- REDVVOOl)'^ TORREY PINE' SYCAMORK LIVEOAK OTHER AMOUNT
$1,000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $
*Donorsatthesele\elsandhigherwill receixealimitededition,specialls boundcopyoftheCcdiforniaGarden
centennialbooktobepublishedbytheFloralAssociation in2009. Thiskeepsake\c)lumereprintsa li\el\ selectionot
articlesfromthepast 100yearsofthemagazineandpermanentlx recordskeyeventsin San DiegoFloral Association history.
Youmayaddressyourdonationsto:Centennial fundc/oSanDiegoFloralAssociation. 1650Fl Prado#1().S.
SanDiego.CA92101-1684.Makecluckspayableto: SDFA(note"("enlennial Fund").
2ICalif>niiaijanh'n,lui\August2(HW
SAN DIEGO FLORAL ASSOCIATION
GET A JUMP ON FALL AND ENROLL
IN THESE TWO CLASSES EARLY!
It's easy to register!
SKPTEMBKR 10 GOURDNECKLACE
BOTANICALART Justfilloutthisform(oracopyofit)and
Learn howtoFiiakea necklace usinii ajewelry gourd,with hummingbird mail ittoSan DiegoEloralAssociation,
andflowerdesigns.Materialscostisincludedintheclassprice. 1650ElPrado,#105
Cost:$20members;$25non-members San Diego,CA92101-1684
Instructor: KathyPage
PAYMENTFORCLASSESMUSTBE
INCLUDED.
SEPTEMBER 17 CREATIVE FLOWER
ARRANGEMENT
Name:
Inthiscreativedesignclassyouwilllearnhowtomakearrangementsusing
materialfromAustraliannati\eplantsgrownbytheinstructor.
Address:
Cost:$10members;$15non-members
Instructor: PaulineSechi
City/State/Zip:
In This Issue Phone:
jul\ andAugusthereresembleJanuaryandFebruaryinsnowyclimes. Email:
Likethecold,heal limitswork inthegarden.Soastemperaturesrise,San
Diegogardensarebestsimplyenjoyedduringsummer.
One una\()idable chore, though, is watering. In this year of water AmountEnclosed:
cutbacks,when.whatandhowmuchtowateraremoreimportantthanever.
TCihiolsifeonlioioakiGnagrdfeonr.guInid"aGnrceowann-dupinGsrpairsasteiso.n"wJiolhlnfiGnrdeebnolteheinchtrhoinsicilsessuethoef All classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and
popularityoftheseeye-catchingplantsandshareshispicksforourgardens. are held in Room 104, Casa del Prado, Balboa
We also \isit a new Water Conservation Garden exhibit—a "modern Park,San Diego,CA.Coffeeandsweets will be
meadow"ofgracefulornamentalgrasses—andwesharesomepicksfroma provided;bringyourownlunchandclippers.Call
newlyrevisedlistofbeautifulwaterwiseplants,idealreplacementsforthat KathyPageformoreinformationaboutSanDiego
veryBtehfirosrte)\poautcrhetoifreltaowna.s(haWdeyhgaavredeindenasoooknwsiatyhinsgombeyei-cbey-ecotlodtlurefm,otnoaod.)e, Floral Association workshops at 619-422-2845.
peruse our book re\iews. There's no better companion for gardeners in To register and pay, call 619-232-5762. Classes
simimer than a book on a topic so dear to the heart and stimulating to arelimitedto 10personsandmustbeprepaid.
themind.
You are invited to subscribe to Tosign uptoryoursubscriptiontoday,please
GARDEN print(orcopy)theform belowandreturn itwith
California
paymentto: San DiegoFloralAssociation,
1650El Prado#105,San Diego,CA92101-1684.
Yoursubscription includes membership in
SAN DIEGO FLORALASSOCIATION! NAME:
I-YearSubscription:$20 ADDRESS:
2->'car.Subscription:$35
(PleaseaddS6per\earforpostagetoforeigndestinations.) CITY/STATE/ZIP:
With}OLirsubscription,}ou"ll rccci\cthemaga/inc.oui PHON&
newsletter,accesstotheSan DiegoFloralAssociation
horticultural librarv andmemberdiscountsonevents,trips EMAIL:
andclasses.
CdlijorniaGarden July/August2009 3
I
Dig
News, tips, advice and products you can use
Flowers for Your Hair
A step-by-step guide to creating a simple floral head wreath
Headwreathsarewornasadecretivehairpiecelorarangeofevents,andarcawhimsicalaccessor) lorwarm
summereveningget-togethers.The wreathscan range is size,colorand material hut lloral designerBecca
McCormick ofFlower Girls {www.fUnvcri^irls.hiz). has found it easiest to make them cnit o\'spra> roses.
McCormickhasbeenworkingatFlowerGirlsforthreeyears—shestartedworkingtherebecauseshewasinterested
inweddinglioraldesigns—andwasgraciousenoughtogiveusawalkthroughonhow tocreateasimple\etstunning
headwreath.
List ofMaterials
• Onebunchofsprayroses
• Onerolloffloraltape
• Onebagofthinfloralwire
• Onespoolofdesiredribbon
Directions
oXep v/ne. cut the individual rose buds or
blossomsfromthemainstem,leavingeachbudorblossom
stemaboutonehalfinchlong.
OXep wot
I Cut the floral wire toapproximately
sixinchesinlength.
Oiep I nree.wireeachrosebudorblossomby
stickingtwopiecesofwireinan"x"patternrightbelowthe
budorblossomontherosestem.Foldthewiredownand
spinthefloraltapefromthebaseofthebudorblossomto
theendofthewire.(YouMlgobeyondtheshortrosestem.)
Thisshouldcoverthe wireandrosestemcompletelyand
makeaslightlylongerartificial,flexiblestemfortherose.
OXep pour
IStartwithoneroseandplacethenext
oneabouthalfwaydownthepreviouslywrappedrosestem
andtapethemtogetherwith thefloral tape.Continuethis
processuntilthewreathistoitsdesiredlength.
oXep I IVe» Bendthewreathtomakeacircleand Floralwreathsaddwhimsy
attach the excess "stems" from the pre\ious roses to the toanvoeeasioii.
frontofthewreathbytapingbetweenthe(lowers.
wXep wlX* Tiethedesiredamounto\'ribbi>nbetweenthetwoconnectingrosestoinsmeexliastability.
OXep weVen.
Keeptheheadwlealhrefrigeraleduntilused,thenwearandenjoy!-AllisonHooker
4ICaliforniaGardenJiily'August2(KW
aa
Di
^n!
Coprosma:
A Plant That Shines
Copro.snui repcns is a natixe of New Zealand. >'chi nia\
know ith\ itscommonname,mirrorplanl.Itissonamed
becauseot"the |-)lant"s iellecti\e quaiit). \\\co\al leaves
arethickandsjiyhtl) succulent. Iheupperside(^{theleavesisa
rich shin\ yrecn. while the undci'side isamatlecreamcolor. It
has adeliyhtlul aiiiicarance and has been a common landscape
|")lanltorman) \ears.
Appreciating the glossy shine is important in placing
Coprosma in the landscape. Copixisma almost seem artificial,
andsome|")eoplemightha\eahardtimefindingahomeforthem
in their landscafie. as the high gloss look and the strong colors
almost makethem look asthough they wereplastic.Themagic,
however,isthatthe> arenotplastic,butratherstrongplantswith
moderatetolcn\ waterneeds.
Lush, the shin\ leaves often give the appearance ofbeing
wet. Thelighttextureofthefoliageisbright,andthelighttexture
isadesignelementthat iswonderfultoobserve.Evenifcolorful,
manv [plants seem toabst>rb light,givingoffadull appearance;
however,holda lavenderbranch nexttoaCoprosmabranchand ThreeCoprosiiuipUiiils—'Hvcnin<^(Jlow.' 'PinkSplendor'mul
voull see a big difference in how the Coprosma leaves reflect 'Taupcihidolil'loi^ellicr—hetwecnsonicMexiccnifccitlicri^niss,
Nassellateiuiissima.
light.
Coprosma grow slowlv. so they are low maintenance, and
ihev are versatile,workingwellasgroundcovers,small hedges, New Coprosma Cultivars
specimanplantsandpottedbonsai.Theygrowwellalongthecoast, Retainingtheshine,newcultivarsofCoprosmacome in
so the> can take some salt spray.They like sun,gooddraining manycolors.Somevarietieshavelargertwo-to-threeinchoval
soil and moderatewateringtogetestablished.Onceestablished, leaves,whileothers have small half-inch linearleaves. Some
thev willrequirelowtomoderatewatering.Itwillalsodowellin favoritecultivarsinclude:
partialshade.
CoprosmaspeciesarefoundthroughoutthePacific,including •'Cappuccino'(fourfeethighbythreefeetwide)—conical
Hawaii, with about 4.^ different species occurring in New growthwithtinychocolatecoloredleaves.
Zealand. (In New Zealand the common name for Coprosma • 'Cutie' (two feet tall and wide)—small green leaves
repcns is Taupata.) Besides Coprosma repcns there are other withdarkblackandbrowntones.
species used in cultivation.Theflowersareusually insignificant • 'EveningGlow'(fivefeettallandwide)—leavesarerich
with maleand female flowersgrowingonseparateplants..Some red.maroon,yellowandshadesofgreen.
makeedibleberries. • 'KaroRed'(threefeettall andwide)—green leaveswith
The genus Coprosma is in the Riihiaccae family. Other blackishredtones.
plants in thisfamilv includegardenia,sweetwoodruff,bedstraw • 'Kiwi Gold' (two feet high by three feet wide)—
andcoffee. (TheseedsofCoprosma havebeen usedasacoffee groundcoverwithsmalllightgreenandyellowleaves.
substitute.) A iH>table feature—alsofound inothergeneraofthe • 'MarbleQueen'(threefeethighbyfourfeetwide)—dark
Riihiaccae—\sthatthe leavescontainhollowsintheaxilsofthe greencentersandlightcreamedges,oftenspeckledwith
veins; in these,and on the leafstipules,nitrogen-fixing bacteria • gTraienetnerdo't.ss. Palette' (four feet tall and wide)—leaves
grow. areacolorfulmixtureofcopper,brown,orange,creamand
ThewordCoprosmahasalovelysound;youmightthinkthat
nitammeeadnsCospormoestmhainbgecbaeauusteifou\l',anbuutnpthliesasiasnntotodsoor.tThhatecgaemnuesfwraoms • gm'riPexietnnukrtSeopnolefes.npidnokr,'g(rseiexn,feyeetltlaolwl,aonrdanwgiedaen)d—lmeaarvoesonthsahtaadrees.a
crushingleavesofsomespecies,suchasCoprosmafoctiJissima. • 'Rainbow Surprise' (four feet tall and wide)—
The offensive smell led [o the combining oftwo Greek words: cultivarwithsmallpinkandyellow-greenleaves.
ko/vos.meaningdungandosmc.meaningsmell.Wehavecrushed • 'Taupata Gold' (three feet tall and wide)—yellow
severalleavesofman\ cultivarsofC.repcnsandthankf"iillv none creamandliehtgreenleaveswithadarkgreencenter.
o\'themsharethisnamedquaiit).-JohnXohU'
CaliforniaCmrden July/.August2009I5
Dig
in
Favorite Tool:
Japanese Grass Sickle
One garden tool after another has won m\ heart over
the years. 1 confess. I am fickle. About ten \ears ago.
however. I found a souhiiate when I acquired m\ first
fork-tongued weederwith paddedgrip. It was loveat first sight.
This weeder allows me the satisfaction of extracting the full
rootsofthe most stubborn weedsandfulfillsthisone andonl\
jobfaithfully.Wespentmanyhappyhourstogetherinthegarden
andcompletelybonded.
imagine my surprise when a sharp-looking stranger from This Ja[xuiese unporl is now m\ la\orile gardening tool.
a foreign land turned my head a couple of years ago. It was Itedgedout the weederni m_\ affections when I discovered the
a typical dalliance, begun while attending an out-of-town valueofthesickleinmaintainingbig.toughsucculentplants.1am
conference. Between meetings I walked around in the Little notcomfortablewieldingasharpmachete,buttheJapanesesickle
TokyoHistoric DistrictofLosAngeles. Neverabletopass upa issmall,lightweightandmancu\crable.Yet.italnK)steffortlessly
hardwarestoreofanynationalorigin.I wassoonpokingaround cutsthroughthelargestandmosttibrousagaveleaves.Unwanted
in bins ofJapanese gardening tools. I picked out a pairofthe succulentpupscaneasilybeshearedoffaboveorbelowgrouiul.In
ultrasharphigh-qualitypruningshears Ldalwaysmeanttobuy fact,allthetough-armedsucculentsinmygardencanbetrimmed
andasimplewooden-handledtoolwithacurvedblade.Ididnot upinatricewiththiselegantlysimpletool.
know ifthesecondtoolhadadesignatedfunction,but itlooked Therazorsharpserrated blade ishighcarbon steel andhas
sharpandpotentiallyuseful. keptitsedgesincepurchase,withoutbeingsharpenedorreceiving
The tool was later identified as a Japanese Grass Sickle, any special care. Generally,carbon steel blades are maintained
sometimes called a Japanese Gardener's Sickle, hand scythe simply by dry storage and cleaning after use. ifdampness is a
or serrated blade sickle. In Japan, this traditional hand tool is problem,the blades may beoiled forextra protecti(Mi. fhe tool
knownbythenamenokogania.Itisadvertisedforuseincutting cost less than $10and ismoreeasih found o\erthe Internet or
backplantstems,rootsorsmallbranchesandtwigs.Asasickle, in Asian stores and shopping areas than in mainstream gaiclcn
it also can be used to trim back ornamental grasses and clear stores.-NancyCarolCarter
highweeds.
\
Friend or Foe:Thrips
A
Thrips{Thysanoptera)aretiny,slenderinsectswithfringedwings.Theyaresolin\ (.S-.14 millimeters long) that \ou mayskip
overthemwhilesearchingforpestsinyourgarden.Alsoknownasthunderflies.thunderbugs.stormlliesandcornlice.thripscan
rangeincolorfromtranslucentwhitetoyellowish,darkbrowntoblack.Withover5,()()0different identifiedspeciesofthrips.it
isdifficulttodetermineiftheoneinyourplantisafriendorafoe.
Forinstance,therearesomebeneficialthrips,whichincludeblackhunterthrips.bandedwingthripsandsixspottedthrips.However,
eventhoughtherearesomefriendsoutthere,manythrips—ofteninthe riirijiiclacfamil\—areclassifiedaspests. Thesegardenfoesare
plantfeedersthatscarleavesandpetalsandevendistortplantparts.
Morethan20plant-infecting \irusesaretransmittedbynon-beneticial thrips.andthese \irusesareconsideredtobe.some()\'the
mostdamagingplantpathogensaroundtheworld.Thevirusesarespreadb\ how thethripsfeed. Ihe\ first|)uncluretheplantandthen
suckoutitscellcontents.Plantsdamagedbythripscanshow tinyscarsontheleaves.ha\etheirgrowthstuntedorha\etheirleavesturn
paperyanddistorted. 1hripscancausescabbyscarringonavocadoskinsandcreate'colorbreaks"onfiower[letals.ifthripsinfectroses,
flowerbudsmaybecomedeformedandevenfailtoopen.Itissafetosaythatthesepariiciihirthripsarcgardenfoes.
Itisverydifficulttocontrolthripspopulationsbecausetlie\ aresosmallandslenderandtendtohideinliincre\iceswhenthe\ feed.
Itisimportanttoknow thatthepresenceot thripsdoesnotnecessarilv meanthatfeedinganddamagewill result, irdamaiieisnoticed
therearesomebiocontrolagentsthatcanbeused.Parasiticwasps,predatorv mites(Aiixstisa<^ili.\).eggparasiticwasfis{Mci^ap/irai^ina
nixniarlpcnnc)andmiiuilepiratebugs(Onusspp.)areallnaturalenemieso'i[k-sIihnps.Whilethesearetheirluituralenemies,littleor
noresearchhasbeenconductedontheelfecti\enessofreleasingthnpspredatorsingardens.Becauseofthis.man\ groweMsaretorced
to occasional!} use pesticides in fields and greeiiluuises. Regular pruning can help ccMitrol thnps |nipulatioiis witlunil reKiiig on
pesticides.-AlyssaHoUlcrlwin
6ICaliforniaGardenJiil>Augusi2(K»'^
""in! Save Water
Convert Your Lawn into a Native Landscape
With
waterratidniny here,manyot">(HiarcCNcing\cHir
lawn as an oh\ions place to save water. Win not
convertthat lieshwatermarsh intoanati\elandscape? wXep ^. Plan your planting. Use evergreen natives like
Turfcan use30gallonsofwaterpersquaretootperyearversus Ceanothusand man/anitaloform thebackboneofyourgarden.
about twotosix fora nati\e landscape! Thefollowingstepscan Colorful perennials such as Penstemon, seaside daisy, monkey
help\ouachiexeaneas)-care landscapefullofcolor,fragrance, flowerand California fuchsiaarebestusedon theedges,where
buttcrtliesandbirds. thecok)rcanbeseenand.mostimportantly,theblossomscanbe
wiep easily reached for deadheading after blooming. These same
1. Renn)\ing the existing turf. If_\ou have lots of perennials can be added for quick fill and color between the
Bermuda,then spra\ the lawn with an herbicidewhile it islush. backboneplants.Becausemostperennialsareecologicalpioneers,
Then irrigateand re|X'atasnew shootscome up. Thismay have they can help burn upexcess fertilit) (left over from the lawn)
tobedonese\eral times.Otherwise.useaspadeorsod-cutlerto while readily establishing the mycorrhizal fungal partnerships
stripthe turfabout two inchesdown.which alsoremovessome so important toasuccessful native landscape. Eventually,these
richtopsoil(amendmentsarebadfornatives). pioneerplantsareovergrownbytheevergreenfoundationplants,
Keep in iniiiel that permanenti) removing grass can be thusleavingtheperennialsalongtheedgeswhereyouwantthem.
challenging—insomecases,youma\ ha\etodigdown 18inches Nativenurseriescanhelpwithplantselection.
to remove stubborn stolons—so before beginning you might
wanttolakeaclass from Quail Botanical GardenorTheWater Oiep O. Plant your garden. You can plant native plants
C\>nservation Garden,orconsult an expert on differentoptions, anytimeoftheyear.Ifyouplantinthesummer,waterabitmore,
asthemethodsoutlinedaboveisjustoneofmanythatmaywork asyouwouldanyothersummerplanting.
for\ou.(Fulldisclosure:Theherbicide,irrigateandstripmethod
described here istheone my business.California'sOwn Native oiep O. Finishing up. It is importanttowatereachone-
LandscapeDesign,usessuccessfully.) gallonplantwithabouthvegallonsofwatertoremoveairpockets.
Once)ourlawnisstrippedaway,trycompostingtheoldgrass Apply agranularpre-emergent herbicidetohelpcontrol annual
foraveggieorrosegarden.Spotremovalorsprayingmaystillbe weeds,followedbythreetofourinchesofshreddedredwoodbark
requiredlater.Grassspecificherbicidesareexcellentforthis. pulledbackthree inchesfromeachplant.(Youcanuseonlythe
bark,butbepreparedtoweed).Wateraboutonceperweekwith
oiep ^. Adapt the irrigation. Natives do better with theequivalentofroughlyone-fourthinchofrainfall;that'sabout
rainfall-like overhead watering. MP Rotator nozzles by Hunter 30 minutes for an MP Rotator. Summer plantings may require
{www.liiimcrliulii.strlcs.coni) are stream rotors that will retrofit watering about every fivedays until the adventofwinterrains,
mostsprinklerheads.Theyirrigatelikegentlerain. when youcan let Naturetakecareoftheplantings.Startingthe
followingspringtrypushingthewateringintervaloutto 10to 14
Oiep Ol Incorporate features. Now is the time to install days.Havefun! —GregRubin
paths,rocksorothergardenfeatures.
Trees of Balboa Park:
Gold Medallion Tree
TheGoldMedallionTreeiCcissicileptophxlUi)maturestoaheightof20-25feetwithan
openroundcanopy.
Iheleavesarepinnatelycompoundwith8-12pairsofnarrowleaflets.Theleafletshapeis
ellipticandtheyarefoldedupslightlywhichmayexplainthename'^leptophylla"fromthe
(Jreekwordsforbutteril) leaf. Vhctreesarebareforashorttimeduringthecoldestmonths
ofthe>earandthenleafoutagaininearl\ springwithbrightgreenfoliage.
From .hil\ thi\)ugh September,deepyellow flowers(3 inches wide) appearon6-8 inch kingclustersatthetipsofthe branches.
heflowersarefollowedbvfour-sided,darkgreenseedpodsthatcanreachlengthsofupto 16inches.Theseedpodsturndarkbrown,
I
ciMitainwingedseedsandsta\ onthetreeforseveralmonths,(ioldMedallionTreesareplantedthroughouttheplazaattheentranceto
theOldGlobeTheater,introutoftheHouseo\ Hungai) andattheKateSessionsBalboaParkNursery.
ExcerptedfromTreesandGardensofBaltwaPark(2(}(}l:$25)andreprintedsvhhpermissionfromKar/tvPiiplavd.PaulSirois.theCityofSanDiegoParkand
RecreationDepartmentandTecolotePiihlicalions.
CaliforniaGarden July/August2009i7
Di
^n!
Delicious Plants
Select "mouthwatering" flowers for a kid-friendly themed garden
There are many plants with delicious sounding names. from the midrib of each leaf. During the summer, the leaves
These plants are not edible but man\ are named after lightenlochartreuseanddevelopalightsiUeroverlay.'Tiramisu'
food productsordesserts. Planting plants with delicious hasafantasticcompacthabit,soitlooksgreatincontainersoras
sounding namescould beagreat waytoget kidsexcitedabout edginginabed.
gardening. It mightalsobefun forthose whoarejustyoungat 'DolceKe\ LimePie'isanewercultivarofcoralbells.Ithas
heartandwanttoaddafantasticalelementtotheirgarden. beautifulchartreusetoyellowleaveswithpinktowhiteflowers.This
plantcanthriveinbothfullsunandshadylocations.'Strawberry
Roses Swirl'coral bells have ruffled green leavesoverlaid with siher
veining—alovely backgroundforthegorgeous strawberry pink
Manygardenersconsiderrosesamustintheirgardens.Roses flowers. What sets this plant apart from the others are the \er\
beautify the yard, providing a light and sweet scent. A mostly tall(30inch)stalksofcoral-pink blooms,which giveoffa mild
sunnylocationandalittlegardeningknow-howisallyouneedto fruitaroma.
getstartedgrowingthesefineflowers.
Fora"deliciousgarden,"youMldefinitelywanttostartwith
'HotCocoa,'afloribunda.Ithassmokychocolate-orangeblooms Begonias
withasweetfragrance,growsaboutfourfeettallinanicelyround OneofAmerica'sfavoriteflowers,begoniasarepopulardue
bushhabitandhasahighresistancetofungaldiseases.Youmight to their variety. Prized for their flower as well as their showy
alsoconsider 'Cherry-Vanilla,'a large-flowered grandiflorathat leaves,begoniasalsoareeasytogrow.'ButteredPopcorn'begonia
producesfragrant,double,pink,cream-centeredflowers. {Begoniasemperfiorens)wouldbeagreat,"appetizing"addition
toany garden.Thisbegonia has white flowrs and it is unfazed
DaylilieS {HemewcalUs) breyquhieraetsaanvderahguemiwdaittye.raTnhdeispleaanstilcyamnaignrtoawineind.the sun or shade,
The.se rugged perennials will endure in agarden formany
yearswilhlittleornocare.Theyadapttoawiderangeofsoiland
lightconditions,establishquickly,grow vigorouslyand survive
winters with little orno injury. Each daylily plant produces an
abundanceofflowerbudsthatopenoveralongperiodoftime.
Therearemany varieties,awiderangeofflowercolorsandthe
flowerscontinueduringtheheatofthesummer.Somedaylilies
are named after different types of cupcakes—some "yummy"
onesinclude: 'MarmaladeCupcake,'TangerineSwirlCupcake'
and'StrawberryCreamCupcake.'
Coral Bells {Heuchem)
Thosewithoutcoralbellsaremissingoutonavastpaletteof
purples,graysandoranges.Thisplantcomesinallsortsofcolors,
shapes,sizesandgrowingneeds.Somedowell inshade,others miiliuni"SharryBabyi
canthriveinfullsun.Theyaredroughttolerant.\cr\ coldhardy
andevergreen.
They also come in some scrumptious sounding varieties. Orchid
'CremeBrulee'coralbellsarecomposedofpeachy-orangeleaves 'Sharry Baby' (OnciJiiim) may not soinid like something
that brighten as the season progresses. Brown sugar highlights you caneat.but itsfragrance istodie for.When you smell this
transform the foliage in cold temperatures; it is topped with flower.Nou'll be hit by a wonderful chocolate scent floating up
creamy yellow flowers in lateJune. 'Tiramisu"coral bells area \\\m^ dozens of tin) blossoms decorated in testixe splashes of
very shows //. villosci h\brid and represent a breakthrough in chocolateandwhite.Eventhoughthisplantisnotnamedaftera
hHaesucahehreaavbyresemdaitntge.rIinngbootfhbsrpircikngreadndcoflaollr,attihoenchtahrattrreaudsieatfeoslioaugte atn>\pe"odfelfiocoido,usi"tdgoaersdehn.av-eAlalisswoenetHosomkelelrthatwouldtit rightinlo
8!Calijoniui(/w/t/r//JulyAugust2(KW