A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

Calendula in Florence's Garden in February FEBRUARYCalendula can be in full bloom on Valentine's Day. Do note on your calendar to plant them next September or October. Learn to plant the lovely annuals that will soon be in bloom, in early fall, to get the best and most carefree bloom, we have all year. All of the following bloom best in our early spring: Calendula, Iceland Poppies, Primula,

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

My friend, and gardening mentor Florence Sullivan, passed away recently at the age of 95 1/2. I had previously asked her daughter's permission to share her gardening tips. She wrote a booklet, with the above title, so any tips I share on this blog, with this title are from "Florence Sullivan," with the kind permission of her daughter Holly.Since it's already February, I'll do this slightly out

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

AprilIs your patio spilling over with color? It could be!Mine is brilliant with pots of blue and yellow violas, pansies, blue ageratum, geraniums,a nd white alyssum. But they were all planted in November and December. So reach for your calendar and make a note to plant these things next year in those months. Even a huge redwood tub of yellow marguerites was planted last fall. The petunias

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

MARCH:FertilizeOrchid cactus after buds are set and again after flowers.Cymbidium or orchid - hi-nitrogen till July - every ten daysAzalea - cottonseed on surfaceHydrangea - acid now and again before bloom. Cottonseed will do. Roses: feed well now and each time they come into bloom, with a long acting commercial fertilizer, or use the fertilizer with systemic insecticide and do no spraying

Disney Garden Accents

Thumper Love, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Disneyland not only positions their flowers beautifully, they have wonderful garden statues throughout the park. Thumper, pictured here, lives on the rock wall surround Aurora's castle. He's admiring the beautifully blooming trees.

A Sea of Beautiful Flowers

A Sea of Beautiful Flowers, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.As a California resident, I have an annual pass to Disneyland. Having the opportunity to go there often, sometimes several times in one week, I've come to appreciate the hard work the Disney Gardening Fairies do. I say that jokingly of course, as you never seen anyone working on the gardens during the day. I suspect they come out at

Fall in Southern California

The Color Purple, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Southern California suffers from overcrowding, and here's the reason. Fall in California comes shades of purple......fading pink hydrangeas......and seashells lying about in your cottage garden...But before you move here, ask yourself, can you handle the traffic, the multi-cultural diversity, and the expense. I moved away once, briefly, and I