Everything I ever learned about gardening came from a book...

- PART 2 -

 

Last time I posted I talked about Pride of Madiera, Matilija Poppy and St. Patrick roses.  This time I want to talk about categories of plants, specifically Mediterranean plants, Tropicals and Succulents.  

One of the reasons the plants in the "Slice of Heaven" landscape thrive is that they were all chosen based on their compatibility with the site.  The perennials shown in the photo above (Tuscan Blue Rosemary, Lamb's Ear, Gray Santolina, and Licorice Plant) are examples of Mediterranean and Tropical plants that work well together in the gray/green landscape in the front of the house.

One perennial Mediterranean plant that is thriving in the front and back landscapes is lavender.  I have four different kinds of lavender growing in the front and back landscaping: French (provence), French (dentata), Spanish and Munstead. The drifts of lavender planted near the roses (shown in the photo at left) are mixed French Provence and Spanish, and are underplanted with trailing rosemary (which also has small purple flowers).  They look and smell amazing!  One of the nice things about fragrant herbs and other scented perennials is that animals (with the exception of birds) tend not to like the fragrance released when one brushes by these plants.  So, unwanted garden visitors are generally not a problem.

Madagascar Palm, Red Hot Poker
and Elephant Bush.

Red Hot Poker (kniphofia) is one of my favorite tropicals, so I built a showcase for this tropical in the front landscaping area.  This raised bed, accented with rounded river rock and inter-planted with complimentary succulents was built especially for the Red Hot Poker, the Elephant Bush (portulacaria, on the right) and the Madagascar Palm (pachypodium lamerei, shown at left behind the kniphofia).  A light and airy Red Autumn Sage is planted behind. 

I am kind of exaggerating when I say that I learned everything from a book.  I am also a big fan of visiting public gardens.  One of the very best in Southern California (in addition to the wonderful gardens at San Diego's Balboa Park...) is the Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena.  I have gotten a lot of inspiration from visits there.  

I really wanted to talk about my reblooming iris, but I think that's enough about gardening for one morning! (TO BE CONTINUED...)