On My Green Thumb

Beach Art

2012-01-08T20:11:00.000-08:00

Someone dropped Carnations all along the beach where we were walking. I caught this one right as the surf was passing by. Flowers on the beach have a unexpected, beautiful tranquillity about them.

Horse Teeth

2011-11-27T14:55:00.001-08:00

I love the way this picture of these old horse teeth turned out. It's amazing how something like a skull or rotten teeth can photograph so well. I call this Ansel Adams teeth for the up close style photography.

Texas Lavender

2011-11-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

Check out this dreamy picture of Lavendula provance lavender on a West Texas ranch. I left my camera setting on 'close up' which made an interesting fade effect.

Caterpillar on Lemon tree

2011-10-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Check out this huge white saddleback caterpillar on my Lemon tree! I honestly don't know what kind of caterpillar it is, but it is awesome. Does anyone know what kind of caterpillar it is?

Plumeria blooming in fall

2011-10-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

I never knew Plumeria could bloom in late October but this little pink Plumeria is blooming away!

Califonia racer snake

2011-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today there was a 3' long California Racer snake curled up near my back patio. I wonder if it's chasing down some lizards, crickets or rodents. Hopefully this doesn't mean we have mice!

baby sugar watermelon

2011-10-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Finally, something in my veggie garden is growing this year! I've been getting veggie molested by squirrels or something all year that is eating everything I plant, but this little baby Sugar Watermelon showing up is all I needed to feel like it's all worth while! The little melon is only 1/2" wide in this photo. I'll be sure to add some progress, as long as the squirrel leaves it alone that is!

rabbit foot print?

2011-09-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

My herb and vegetable garden have been getting eaten to the ground constantly this year. I cannot figure out what in the world is eating them though. The garden is completely surrounded by a wood fence, but one small stretch is chain-link. I assume baby rabbits or moles could crawl through the chain-link, but I don't see any worn spots on the ground at the bottom of the chain-link that indicates that something is running through.
Today is the first time I've found any sign, other than the eaten plants, of an animal being in the garden. This footprint is 1" long, has four toes and claws. Can anyone identify the animal by this footprint? I would love to know what I've been feeding all year! My guess is it's a rabbit print, but I really have no idea.

Do you know what this plant is?

2011-08-21T11:43:00.001-07:00

Do u know what this plant is? Small pink blossoms, light grey foliage, almost like a sage. (The plant behind it is sage) It grows wild in the Southern California hills - so it's a California native.
Please let me know.

A locust that looks like a leaf

2011-08-11T09:44:00.001-07:00

Can you find the locust in this photo? This was crawling on our Mandarin Orange tree this morn. I love how its tail or wings look just like a leaf. They even have leaf veins on their wings!

Pollinators Attack!

2011-07-23T10:55:00.001-07:00

Check out this video of Hummingbirds, bees and larger birds eating the bees feast on the freshly opened blooms of a 30' tall, Century Plant Agave! The miracle of winged pollination.

Salvia clevelandii Blooms

2011-07-16T10:10:00.001-07:00

I've only recently discovered this wonderful, low water use plant, the Cleveland Sage. It has a dark red stem, grey leaves and amazing merry-go-round blooming head. Salvia clevelandii pairs well with a dark contrasting background like Ceanothus which is a drought tolerant plant as well.

deer grazing in california poppy

2011-06-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful site near the Pepperdine campus in Malibu, CA. A family of deer grazing in a bed of wild California Poppy blooms. There were two fawns with the little white spots there too, but they were more skittish than the parent doe.

espalier fig tree

2011-05-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

I love watching the new green leaves form on our two espalier fig trees. We have two fig trees in pots; Ficus 'Black Mission' and Ficus 'Brown Turkey'. More photos of the differences of these two fig varieties and taste tests to come.

fragrant Mandarin orange blossoms

2011-05-06T14:30:00.001-07:00

Did you know that orange blossoms are very fragrant? I had no idea until our front yard Mandarin Orange tree went into a crazy bloom this Spring. I walked by the nicely shaped orange tree to be hit with a huge sniff of what smells like honeysuckle. It's really wonderful.

Spanish Lavender

2011-05-04T17:52:00.001-07:00

I love Lavender. One of my favorites is Spanish Lavender. Each blooming spike has an extended double petal at the end that looks like a purple butterfly. God's creation really is amazing!

baby peaches

2011-05-02T12:23:00.001-07:00

I'm guessing at this point that the fruit tree I showed you before is a peach tree just based off of the fruit appearance. I could be wrong though.. These still could be apricots!

Wisteria 'Cooke's Purple'

2011-05-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

Wisteria 'Cooke's Purple' has a great purple color flower with a light white base. It has a much longer blooming season than most Wisteria which is a huge plus.

Buxus sempervirens 'Egg'

2011-05-01T09:37:00.001-07:00

Large green masses and simple green forms like these unique, Buxus sempervirens 'Egg's in landscape beds help anchor all the plants together and give instant maturity to a landscape design.

Pieris 'Purity'

2011-04-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Pieris 'Purity' is hard to find, especially in any size other than tiny 1 gallon, but they have a unique show of snow flurry type white flowers.

Camellia japonica 'Nuccios Gem'

2011-04-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

The white bloom of the Nuccios Gem Camellia is probably the most perfectly structured flower bloom I have ever witnessed. Nuccios Gem has many more petal layers than other varieties of Camellia and the petals are so perfectly distributed that this camellia truly is unique and beautiful.

baby apricots or peaches

2011-04-16T23:28:00.000-07:00

We have a fruit tree in the back that I honestly thought was an ornamental pear, like a kawakamii, until I noticed a little pink in the blossoms. Sure enough, there are loads of small fruit growing on the limbs now. I can't tell if it's an Apricot or Peach yet though... Any bets??

orange harvest

2011-04-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

Somehow, even with all the rain lately, our orange tree ripened up and we had a one tree harvest today. We have 3 different kinds of oranges, and I believe this orange tree is a bit of a speciosa in that the oranges are small, the seeds are big, and it doesn't seem to be a hybrid or tampered with too much. If you're an orange expert, please chime in!

Pittosporum crassifolium hedge

2011-04-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

You usually think of Pittosporum as an ornamental stand alone shrub, but it actually makes an amazing, loose hedge. I love the grey green leaves of the Pittosporum crassifolium.

Red Trunk Manzanilla

2011-03-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you can really see the color well in this photo, but the trunk of this Manzanilla really was showing off it's brilliant red colors in contrast to the fresh fallen white snow.

Guava Sapling

2011-03-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

I bought a pack of Guava tree seeds while I was in Hawaii. I know, I know, it would be way cheaper to just eat a Guava and save the seeds, but for the agriculture control and safety, I decided to play it safe and buy them. Anyway, I started the seeds in a pot indoors, then slowly moved the young Guava seedlings outdoors, but not in direct sunlight.

The young Guava saplings are now about 14" tall, so I picked a corner of the yard that gets filtered sunlight and planted them. I'll keep you posted on how they mature.

pear flowers in the pool

2011-03-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here are the pear flowers falling in the pool, just like I said...

pots and flowers

2011-03-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the right arrangement of pots and flowers can really transform a spot in the garden. Try and choose unique pieces that match but don't duplicate each other; as if they were collected through a lifetime of searching but with the same flavor. The plants can be simple and shouldn't try to overpower the pots.

black and brown caterpillar

2011-03-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

I need one of those insect identifying guides. I run into unique little crawly creatures like this rust and black colored caterpillar and I wish I knew its real name and what type of moth or butterfly it will turn into. If you know, please do share the wealth!

peacock seed pod

2011-02-24T08:02:00.001-08:00

I wish I knew what type of plant this was created by. I think it's from a type of vine here in South TX, but it had dropped to the ground and no plant was directly claiming it. It opens up to an amazing white fuzzy spread of seeds. Beautiful!

Pyrus kawakamii in bloom

2011-02-23T21:58:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again; when the ornamental pears, especially the Evergreen Pear, or Pyrus kawakamii, start pushing out tons of beautiful sterile blooms. They may fill your pool when the wind blows, but you have to enjoy the white bloom tree lined drives in a false Spring push.

Cornus 'Winter Flame'

2010-12-29T09:43:00.001-08:00

The Winter Flame Dogwood has about the most orange twigs and foliage imaginable while still looking natural and fitting into a native landscape. The orange foliage looks great in this muted terracotta pot.

Acer grisium

2010-12-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

The Acer grisium or Paperbark Maple is tall rustic Maple tree that blends into a forest line or canopy row without drawing too much attention or appearing too cultivated. The Paperbark Maple will look like it's always been there while bringing year round interest with its simple green Maple leaves and pealing red bark.

Parthenocissus leaf

2010-11-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

This lone, baby Parthenocissus tricuspidata leaf on a weathered teak table captures more light than any landscape scene I've seen in awhile.

Kiwi vine trunk

2010-11-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

In this photo you can see a little glimpse of the huge 8" girth of this old Kiwi vine. It's like an anaconda climbing up the post!

Kiwi vine

2010-11-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

I guess I should know better, but I always thought the Kiwi fruit came from a tree. Apparently Kiwis grow on a vine. This awesome, huge Kiwi vine covers this trellis. The vine trunk is about 8" thick. The owner of this retail nursery in Woodside, CA started this vine from a 1 gallon size container in the 1950's!

lawn spiders

2010-11-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen anything like this before? The entire lawn is covered with a blanket of spider webs. You can only see the webs in the Sun's reflections, but it covers the whole lawn. I've always thought of spiders as loners that spin their own web and live a solitary life, but this is obviously some kind of community or spider city! I'd love to know what kind of spider this is.

freshly picked green olives

2010-10-31T13:51:00.001-07:00

The mission olive, Olea europaea, in our front yard is covered in olives so we are going to take a pass at curing them for gifts and a few just for us.
We easily collected enough olives to fill a 3 gallon bucket just from picking the olives off the lower branches that we could reach without a ladder.
We have read many different curing methods and recipes, and we are going to attempt our own version from what we have learned. We started off by checking each olive for bug bits, throwing away the bad ones and cutting a small slice in all the good ones to help leach out the bitters from the olives.
We are now on day 4 of soaking the olives in water, and I'll write more later to let you know how it's going.

Koelreuteria flowers

2010-10-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

I love the look of freshly fallen petals floating in water. Here are the soft yellow flowers of the Koelreuteria paniculata tree floating in a fountain below.

Rosa 'Sea Foam'

2010-10-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Sea Foam rose is a beautiful, light mauve colored, cascading rose that is perfect for pots and hanging over the tops of walls.

planted marble fountain - 2

2010-10-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

Here is another view of the marble fountain at Hearst Castle with lilies and aquatic grass. You can just barely see the aquatic grass in this photo.

planted waterfeature at Hearst Castle

2010-09-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

This beautiful fountain is planted with simple lilies that bloom white and yellow on the surface and freshwater aquatic grass underneath that helps the fish hide from raccoons. This fountain is in a courtyard at Hearst Castle.

Bed of Echinacea flowers

2010-09-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you get the most punch out of a flower or simple shrub when you plant a large group of just one variety like the Echinacea 'Susie'. Echinacea don't last all year, but when they are up and blooming they create a nice show.

Toxic soil

2010-09-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Contractors from different trades don't think about how their work affects everyone else. You have to keep an eye on everyone to make sure your landscape will be beautiful. Many times concrete test pits, left over paint and other chemicals like this wood stain are thrown out on the same soil to be amended and planted. This will stay in the soil, making the soil toxic to the plants and you may never know why your plants aren't doing well or dying in this area.

Mown lawn path through meadow

2010-09-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

Turning a large open space into a natural meadow instead of a water wasting lawn is very popular these days. There are many non-invasive, native grasses to choose from that are beautiful when they are green as well as when they are dormant and golden yellow. Mowing a path through a natural grass meadow creates a beautiful contrast and experience.

eco-lawn meadow grass

2010-09-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

This is a new seed mix that creates a nice, low meadow grass that has low watering requirements and works in the shade as well as the sun.

windswept pine

2010-08-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes pines will have a windswept look when they first get unloaded from the truck. I have actually seen two pines that never straightened back up as the sap had already learned the bent branch form and never gave it up. The Italian Stone Pine or Pinus pinea in this photo straightened back up in less than a day.

Plumeria from cutting 3

2010-08-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Plumeria I planted from a cutting in Hawaii is growing fast. Here is the latest view in a much larger pot.

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' are available as wholesale plants from some garden centers

2010-08-13T22:50:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not; you can buy this beautiful Annabelle Hydrangea at amazing wholesale plants prices if you know the right sources. Leave a comment and I just may share a few!

Pick up some Rhamnus californicum at the garden center

2010-08-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

California Coffeeberry is a great native plant for a hardy, handsome border shrub.

Ulmus parvifolia trunk

2010-08-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

I love the pretty bark on a thick trunked Lace Bark Elm tree.

Hydrangea quercifolia

2010-07-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

The flowers of the oak leaf hydrangea really are beautiful and the leaves are like hands wrapping around sculptures, garden benches or structures.

jacaranda bloom on bonsai

2010-07-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

I had to share a close up photo of my bonsai Jacaranda bloom.

Plumeria from Cutting - photo 2

2010-06-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

As I promised, here's another photo of my Plumeria that started as a cutting. It's really pushing out some nice leaves now!

Bonsai Jacaranda in Bloom

2010-06-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

My Jacaranda bonsai is blooming after 8 years! I got the seeds from the fallen seed pods off the Jacaranda trees on 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA almost a decade ago, and I've been nursing these puppies for so long without blooms I had almost given up. I knew it could take a long time for a Jacaranda to bloom, and finally no more waiting.
More photos to come...

On My Green Thumb Memorial!

2010-05-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

I had to post this photo. It's too perfect for this blog. This is a bronze thumb sculpture around 7' tall outside the Clus Pegases winery in Napa Valley.

Olea europa Flora

2010-05-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

I never noticed olive tree flowers being so beautiful. Look at this group of olive blossoms floating in a stone fountain and it will change your mind like it did mine.

One BIG garden slug!

2010-05-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

I came across this huge, yellow garden slug today and I had to share it with you. This slug is around 7" long and bright yellow. If this isn't already called a Banana Slug I'm officially renaming this species today. Does anyone know the name of these before I renamed it?

Cornus capitata 'Mountain Moon'

2010-05-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

These Cornus capitata 'Mountain Moon', Evergreen Dogwood, planted in a big drift look natural and still have a big flowery punch. Rustic beauty!

Growing Plumeria from Cuttings

2010-03-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Plumeria, the tree that the Hawaiian lei flower comes from, can be grown from a 'cutting'.

All you have to do is gently break off about 8" from a branch tip and place it in a well drained pot. Water the Plumeria a tiny bit every 2 days and make sure it has partial to full sun. They can't take the cold!

The image is of a pink Plumeria I started from a cutting about 2 months ago and it pushing through its first leaf. I'm excited!

I'll post more photos as it grows so you can see the progress.
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Edible Wild Mushrooms

2010-01-30T21:41:00.000-08:00

Look at these beautiful clumps of mushrooms! Just enough rain and shade on this hillside.

I really wish I could identify shrooms and know which ones you can eat. Does anyone know if you can eat these in the picture and what they're called?

Malus sp 'Snow Flake'

2010-01-30T17:46:00.001-08:00

This is such a simple, beautiful apple tree. I love having some blooms before Spring! What an anxious little puppy.

Ambition

2009-11-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

I used to have a life... Now I just have money.

Basketball

2009-11-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

It's so nice to sit, eat and watch other people break a sweat and feel like I did something.

Ground covers around stone steps

2009-09-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

I love stone steppers, but finding a ground cover that legitimately grows between 'foot trafficked' stones can be difficult. Here is one I love, Rubus. If you have a decently moist and partial shade area, Rubus will follow the soil between and looks great!
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Variagated tree

2009-06-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

It's not usual to see a variated tree of this size. This is a variagated tulip tree, tulipifera I believe. They have nice large blooms, but they get the name from the tulip shaped leaf. I'm not sure if this photo is going to show up well, but this one is close to 30' tall, still in the box.

Girdled trees

2009-06-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

When you're buying nursery trees, there are many things you have to look for aside from the basic aesthetics. One of the most common root health issues for boxed trees is when the nursery doesn't move the trees into a larger box soon enough and the roots begin curling around each other called root girdle. Here is a picture showing signs of root girdle. Sometimes it's less obvious than this and you need to pull the dirt away a little to check. This will stunt the trees growth and lifespan. There are root cutting methods to try and salvage a tree in this state, but most of the time the tree will not fully recover.

Taste the rainbow

2009-05-31T11:49:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this bright yellow was bright green just 2 weeks ago and it will be bright red in about 4 months? Euonymus fortunii is a seriously colorful shrub if you're needing year round interest. It can handle heat and cold as well.

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What is this Dr. Suess Looking Plant?

2009-04-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

What is this? Can anyone identify this funky succulent? I found it at a client's house on their hillside next to a rose garden. (I know, they obviously don't go together).

Anyway, it's the only one I've seen. Let us here your knowledge!

Simple and impacting

2009-02-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

Who needs an expensive sculpture when you have a $100 pot and a $75 Chrondipetalum? (I'd better check my spelling on that plant).

Living focal pieces can be as memorable as water features if you pick a plant with foliage that moves with the wind. Keep in mind you background and work to compliment or contrast in color.

Textures

2008-10-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all you need is one type of grass that you like as with this Italian Timothy. Then you mow a path through and your blade contrast is created by the mown to unmown transition. Very simple planting design can be best.

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The Silhouette

2008-08-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

This may be jumping a bit ahead to go right into lighting design, but I want to share one of my favorite lighting techniques. I call it the 'Silhouette'.

The idea is to have a soft glow behind your plants so that the outline of the plants is defined by their shade side. It reminds me of the old comedies where they would have people with a light on in a tent or behind a curtain and their silhouette makes them look like they're being naughty... then they show the characters and they really aren't even close to each other, it was just an optical illusion. Did I lose everyone on that one?

Anyway, this technique works best with these ingredients:

- Character or sculptural planting such as bamboo

- A backdrop to catch the light behind the plant subject such as a plaster wall or smooth fence

- Wide angle, filtered, low voltage, lighting. You want the light close enough to the backdrop to illuminate and create a silhouette, but not so close that you create 'hot spots.'

I really do not like to see the source of lighting, so in-grade up-lights with a 'hood' to hide the lens from the onlooker works best. In these applications where the source is being hidden, do not waste your money on expensive brass or bronze fixtures. You want it to be hidden anyway. The black, high-density plastic ones are fine. Check your warranty and enjoy!

Helleborus x hybridus 'Walhelivor'

2008-06-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Lenten Roses you will love if you ever have the chance to discover them. They have very understated beauty and have an amazing, subtle flower.

The Helleborus x hybridus 'Walhelivor' or Ivory Prince Lenten Rose is one of my favorites. There are few truly green flowers in nature. This one will make you fall in love with planting for contrast. Not to mention, it does well in shade and thrives with little attention. This is a great flowering perennial to pair with Pittosporum eugenioides 'Platinum'.

Plant type: Perennials
Cold Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Heat Tolerance: >60 to 90 days
Mature size: Forms basal clumps to 12 in. tall, spreads wider.
Growth Habit: Clumping
Flower Color: Green
Blooms: Blooms early spring.

Pittosporum eugenioides 'Platinum'

2008-05-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite shrubs right now is Pittosporum eugenioides 'Platinum', or common name, Platinum Lemonwood. In planting design, you have to remember, color choices and combinations are not just about flower color, but more importantly, foliage colors.

The 'Platinum' color in the leaf of this Pitt really comes to life in contrast with darker leafed shrubs or like green/lemon colors. Put this shrub next to soft white blooms and full leafs of the Hydrangea quercifolia 'Vaughn's Lillie' or the inconspicuous bloom of the Helleborus x hybridus 'Walhelivor' and you will know what I mean.

Plant type: Evergreen Shrubs
Cold Hardiness Zone: 8-10
Heat Tolerance: >150 to 180 days
Mature size: Large, bushy shrub 8 to 10 ft. tall and wide.
Blooms: Small, greenish-yellow flowers in spring.

Light needs: Full Sun

Key Feature: Dramatic Foliage Color

Design Basics

2008-04-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

Try and keep your plant palette simple. Once you've decided on a planting style (modern, zen, cottage, formal, etc) and filtered through planting zone, light and soil requirements, you probably have a list of plants you have no idea what to do with from there. Here are some more filters to run your palette through:

Hierarchy: Have few focal pieces and build your garden around them. Many times, depending on the size of the place, one focal piece per area is plenty. More than one will become busy and start to look like your neighbor's place who has gnomes and stones with sweet sayings on them lining the walk. It is better to do one 'big move' than many little choppy bits.

Height Layers: Know the mature height or the height you intend to maintain your plants and layer them into the landscape accordingly, giving rhythm and balance.

Contrast: Color among other attributes can be very powerful when used sparingly. Take note of the colors of green that work together as well as bloom colors. Also, make sure the colors work with your structural backdrop. Red, orange and pink do not work together! Sometimes it's best to use one or two colors and mix variations of the same color throughout.

Texture: This is something you probably won't be able to do from images. Go to the nursery, and pull leaves from the different plants you are interested in and put the leaves together. Do the textures work well together or are they fighting each other? Leave size and pattern also play a big role. Spiky then leaves aren't typically going to go well with soft, lobed leaves.

We will get into many other design aspects in later posts. I just thought it was good to get some basics down before jumping right into plant species.

I hope you enjoyed!

Coming soon to a garden near you

2008-04-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I just wanted to say 'Hi' on the first day I am starting my landscaping blog. Each week or so I am going to highlight a different plant or tree species, post images and give tips that I have learned about using or avoiding that species. I hope you enjoy and maybe learn to appreciate a few new species along the way. Please feel free to post comments and questions you may have for me and readers to enjoy. See ya soon!