Grown strictly for its foliage, Fatsia adds a very tropical look to the shade garden. It will have white puffy flowers in late autumn and winter, but they are not particularly showy, just interesting and unexpected. Fatsia can take deep…
Month: June 2014
Abutilon
Abutilon (flowering maple) Abutilons display flowers of white, yellow, pink, red, orange and apricot along with frequently bold foliage. Dwarf varieties are only three feet tall while others can grow to six feet or more. The flowering maples are just a bit marginal for the…
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas come in many sizes and forms. The two most well-known types are mophead, the old-fashioned large flower with a rounded flower head, and lacecap, in which the small fertile flowers are surrounded by large, colorful flowers. With some varieties, flower color is determined by the…
Abelia
Abelia grandiflora has arching stems six to eight feet tall and produces large numbers of small white or pink bell-shaped flowers in summer. The variety ‘Sherwoodii’ is three to four feet tall and has lavender flowers and darker green leaves. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is only two to three feet…
Coleonema
Coleonema pulchellum (or Breath of Heaven) is a charming, wispy plant with very small pink flowers. The flowers themselves are not showy, but the sheer numbers of them in spring make the plant a real sight. It grows to about…
Buddleja
Commonly called butterfly bush, buddleja can reach fifteen feet and flowers in shades of purple, lavender, pink, white or yellow. It is also available in an increasing number of dwarf varieties, most of which grow to three to five feet. The flowers are a favorite of…
Lagerstroemia
Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) These shrubs are a great favorite in our area as they adapt so well to heat, bloom in the summer and require little water once established. The plants naturally grow as multi-trunked shrubs, but are often trained as standard trees. The…
Syringa
Syringa (lilac) is loved for its wonderful fragrance and glorious, showy blooms. Lilacs are a good match for our north county climate as the low winter temperatures encourage blooming. In the south county, grow the Descanso hybrids such as ‘Lavender Lady’ and ‘Angel White’ which have been…
Philadelphus
Philadelphus is an old fashioned shrub with wonderfully fragrant white blossoms. It is a deciduous shrub growing four to six feet tall, making it a very good foundation plant. It is also very effective in lawns and as a background plant. Shade in the afternoon…
Cistus
Cistus (rockrose) These are understandably popular in the North County. Some outstanding characteristics include drought tolerance, relative deer resistance and a prolific spring bloom. Flower colors are white and many shades of pink. The lowest growing variety is Cistus salvifolius, a…
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