Summer nears and there’s a lot to do in the garden! We’re here to help at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. It’s time to bring up the fruit trees and roses that were planted from the bareroot season and we have a good supply. The climbing roses will take some time to reach their ultimate height so if you’re wanting a more mature plant we’ve been able to secure some excellent specimens. Give us a call if you want a specific variety.

Salvias are certainly one of the most popular perennials at at Bay Laurel Garden Center. A few factors for their success – great diversity – deer resistance – low water needs. Salvia canariensis ‘Lancelot’ is the newest and probably the most spectacular variety. The furry, silver leaves produce an array of fuchsia/lavender flowers for a long summer bloom.

Of all the Salvias ‘Hot Lips’ is still the most desired. ‘Amethyst’ is a stunning second choice. The purple flowered ‘Amistad’ is a tall striking variety much loved by the hummingbirds. Be sure to leave some room for many of the other types with colors ranging from white to crimson.

Here’s a new and fanciful fig -“Figonemal”. This dwarf tree grows to only 18 inches and yet is purported to produce lots of small, tasty figs. A perfect plant for the patio or small garden from Bay Laurel Garden Center.

Vegetables are still waiting to be planted, but the end is nearing! Check out our supply of tomatoes, squash, eggplant, watermelon and other garden delights. We have seen many gourmet cooks carry out our selection of herbs. We keep replenishing dill, parsley, thyme but also catnip, borage, epazote and other unusual herbs at Bay Laurel Garden Center.

Annuals are the light that brightens up the shade. A great example is the Coleus genus. “Giant Rose” is one of the showiest of all. The Sunpatiens (formerly New Guinea Impatiens) are also colorful additions. Coming this week – some new tuberous Begonias at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero.

Ground covers can be challenging. Right now flats of Dymondia and rosemary are suitable for difficult situations at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Pink thyme, lantana and gazanias take a bit more care. For shady areas, Vinca major, Lysimachia and ivy are good choices. For smaller areas, Convolvulus sabatius is a lovely low growing choice for sun. Try Campanula for shade. Flowering shrubs that cover a lot of territory and require little water such as Cistus salvifolius, Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ and Cotoneaster can also act as hardy ground cover.

The perfect summer container plant is the sunflower “Sunbelievable”. Keep deadheading and it will keep blooming. You can choose from a wide variety of annuals to fill your pots or your landscape at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Petunias, Calibrachoa (Million Bells), Vinca, Lobelia, Zinnias and more. The slow-release fertilizer Osmocote is great for containers – can last up to 6 months.

Spring has outdone itself this year! Plants are thriving and blooming like crazy. at Bay Laurel Garden Center has been very busy trying to accommodate the needs of our trusty customers. Just arrived in time for Cinco de Mayo is its very showy namesake rose. Also just in is the old time favorite rose Peace. We’ve heard that aphids are on the rampage and thus have recently acquired lady bugs to aid in their destruction. Other remedies include insecticidal soap, Take Down spray and horticultural oil. Don’t forget to fertilize your roses about every 6 weeks.

The challenge the tarnished plant bug raises. This insect attacks peach and nectarine fruit when they are very small. Therefore, it is necessary to spray when they are in this stage. Spray the fruit a couple of times, at weekly intervals. Apple blossoms are blooming and they are susceptible to the coddling moth. Spray just before the blossoms drop. You can use any of of the above mentioned eradicators. Coddling moth traps are useful in determining when the moths are active.

Every season brings new and flashy annuals to Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. These bright flowers are a great way to introduce some quick color to your containers or landscape. Three varieties, in particular, have seen a lot of experimentation – Calibrachoas, Petunias and Osteospermums. The ‘Cosmic Pink” petunia is a great example. Perennials are planted for a longer life. With so many deer about, the Salvias have become extremely popular, especially ‘Hot Lips’. It’s one we try to have on hand at all times.

A new item at Bay Laurel Garden Center to make your gardening more successful – rolls of shade cloth. The rolls are 6′ x 15′ feet. Use the cloth to protect plants from the harshest sun. Protect tomatoes and peppers, blueberries and lots of others when the temperature soars.

Vegetable plants come in and go out. We’ve been pretty successful in stocking a favorite – lemon cucumber at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Sungold tomatoes have been hard to find lately. Currently you can find three different tomatillos and a good selection of cucumbers. A few of the unusual tomatoes include ‘Blueberries’ and ‘Tasmanian Chocolate’. We have lemon grass plus a good supply of herbs – tarragon should be arriving soon.

Lots of new Talavera pots at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero!

We recently added, the hanging Fuchsia ‘Giant Voodoo’ at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Other hanging baskets include various geraniums. You can also design your own – pick some ivy geraniums, Lamium, Calibrachoa. Reminder to check out our house plants, including some of the newest in the pothos family. For some unusual color, try the black flowered Anthurium.

Spring flowering trees are such a joy! Plums, pears, crabapples and red buds. The native redbud grows naturally as a multi-stemmed shrub but can be trained as a tree. It is extremely drought tolerant. The non-native varieties i.e. Canadensis “Oklahoma” and other varieties are normally grown as standard trees. All have the fuchsia bright blooms that appear before leafing out.

The deciduous Magnolia often referred to as “Saucer Magnolia’ has striking flowers in shades of white, pink and purple. It’s usually grown as a large, multi-trunked specimen. This Magnolia prefers afternoon shade in our area.

There’s a low rumble inside the vegetable grower community – “Where are the cucumber plants? – Where are the peppers?” Blame March. It’s been cold! But things seem to be looking up next month. And then there’s the luxury of not having to deal with the drought. You can get a head start with gallon plants of tomatoes and peppers. We have some walls of water type protection to minimize the cold nights. Row cover can also help.

New and exotic tomato varieties always abound. Here are some names for 2023. Tomatoes – “Sunset Torch”, “Red Pearl”, ” Aussie”, and “Long Keeper”. Peppers – “Chicago Hot Dog”, “Italian Roasting Carmen”, and “Dragonfly”. Of course we’ll have all the old favorites as well as the heirlooms at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. If you have some room, I suggest the Italian squash “Rampicante”. The leaves are large and they ramble on, but the squash (which appears in different shapes) is quite delicious with a somewhat nutty aspect.

There’s been an amazing interest in house plants lately at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We just received a shipment with some exotic choices. A colorful Philodendron among the myriad species is “Prince of Orange”. The plant will ultimately grow 2 feet tall and wide. The new leaves emerge a bright orange and gradually change to dark green. Good light is necessary to ensure the best color. We also have several Anthuriums in both 4′ and 6′ sizes. These are great house plants that display colorful flowers for a very long time. And out of bloom, the plant is an attractive foliage plant.

Take advantage of the cool weather and plant some very cool annuals. Check out the flowering bulbs at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have Blue Freesias and Ranunculus including chocolate and Italian Anemones. Other notable imports from Italy are the Iceland poppies. Iceland poppies from Italy! Newly added in the shade house are double flowering primroses – they look like little rose buds. Next to them you will find the ever popular Columbine.

Many of you take great pleasure in starting your own seeds. We have some items to assist you at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have seeds, of course. And we offer trays, some including a heating mat. Also we have bio-degradable starter pots and seed starting soil mix. We still have wildflower seeds including California poppies, California natives and two types of clover for erosion control.

The warm growing season has barely begun and we sold out of dahlia tubers! But fear not – a new shipment is on the way at Bay Laurel Garden Center. In addition to the dinner plate varieties, we will have decorative types as well as cactus flowering. Perusing our current bulb selection you will see two pink lilies. They are quite different. The Amaryllis ‘Belladonna’ leafs out in spring, then dies back and flowers in late summer. It is extremely drought tolerant. The Crinum lily has long, strap-like leaves. It prefers shade and sends up fragrant, pink flowers in summer.

Native California plants are always in season at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. Right now the most spectacular flowering shrub, Ceanothus, is showing off its brilliant violet-blue flowers. We usually recommend these plants as specimens. Ceanothus can be somewhat temperamental, often only living 5 to 7 years, but it’s worth the investment for such great color. We also have some very handsome manzanitas for sale. We expect more of everything as the weather behaves!

Weeds! The result of our bounteous rainy season. We have all purpose herbicides at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Broadleaf ones for your lawn, and ones that remove grassy weeds from ornamentals. Then again, there is that satisfaction of tugging the critters out with your own bare hands!

As the bareroot season fades into spring the pink sold tape is being removed. That means you still have an opportunity to buy bareroot at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have a smattering of all sorts of trees – many multi-budded types, Fuji apples and more. If for some reason you are unable to plant at this time – soil too wet, moving, etc, you can have the tree potted in a bio-degradable container and plant it container and all. This procedure eliminates the need to disturb the roots at planting time.

In a perfect world these fruit producing trees would require little assistance. But aside from water, fertilizer and pruning there are a few adversities to prepare for. If your peach and nectarines have not unfurled their buds, you can still spray with copper. As the season progresses, tiny peach and nectarine fruits are susceptible to the tarnished plant bug. This insect causes cat facing. You can spray with Captain Jack’s, Take Down or other effective sprays, but be sure to do this when the fruit is very small. Apples, pears and Asian pears are prone to the bacterial disease known as fire blight. A very recent product, Garden-Phos, is considered an effective preventative. It can be used anytime except when the tree is flowering. When your dormant plants begin to leaf out, it’s a great time to fertilize.

We welcome the summer flowering bulbs at Bay Laurel Garden Center! Delightful Dahlias, Fragrant Freesias, and Lovely Lilies are among them. A local favorite the “Naked Lady” (Amaryllis belladonna) is available as a very large bulb. The leaves appear in spring, then disappear and the pink flowers emerge in late summer. They are notably drought tolerant and in time, the bulbs will multiply.

The vegetable availability gradually evolves. We still have a good supply of cool season vegetables including lettuce, peas and spinach. Artichokes have been very popular. Arriving this week are selected varieties of tomatoes, peppers and basil. If you have a green house or are prepared to protect these plants with your life – Go for it! It is however, perfectly safe to include strawberries in your purchase. We will receive jumbo packs of Eversweet and Quinalt at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero.

The rains have inspired planting wildflower seeds. Clover has many uses including soil erosion prevention and use as a cover crop. O’Connor’s is an improved cultivar developed in Australia. It’s more tolerant of harsh conditions including alkaline soils which are most common in our area of California. The clover is a legume and therefore able to extract nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil. This makes it an excellent cover crop. Pink flowers appear from May to November. The plant is about 12″ tall. The native California poppy seeds have been extremely popular. You can check out our other offerings including wildflower mixes and native California ones at Bay Laurel Garden Center.

There’s a bright spot as you enter the shade house at Bay Laurel Garden Center – English primrose. The plant breeders have been busy with their paint brushes. There appear to be many new color combinations this year – enough to brighten a spot in your shade garden. The old fashioned perennial violets are also in attendance. They have a subtle way of spreading amongst your shade plants.

Our gorgeous Hellebores were sold in record time but they shall return to Bay Laurel Garden Center. Hellebores come in shades of white, pink and dark rose. They are one of the earliest perennials to bloom. The plants require fertile soil and afternoon shade in the San Luis Obispo North County. Once established they do not wish to be moved. They are one of the few plants that are considered to be gopher resistant.

As the bins continue to be cleared of bareroot fruit trees, our stock of perennials, shrubs and native plants will begin to replace them at Bay Laurel Garden Center. On hand are some early flowering perennials including the earliest blooming lavender, Spanish lavender. The variety “Primavera” has unusually dark flowers. A lighter shade of lavender is found in the Erysimum variety “Sunstrong Violet”. Other colors in the “Sunstrong series include orange and yellow. We also have some great looking Osteospermum in 4” and gallons. The “Blued-eyed Beauty” and “Orange Zion’ are both favorites.

Many bareroot plants are now sold out but come check out what’s left at Bay Laurel Garden Center! Honey Queen is a new raspberry which, as you can see, is a lovely golden color with the sweetness of honey. These plants are bare root but we have many other varieties in quart containers. Many blueberries and blackberries are also available. You may find Fuji apples in the grocery store but they don’t compare to picking them from your home orchard!

We have a nifty little guide for pruning fruit trees, roses and more at Bay Laurel Garden Center. How to Prune Fruit Trees and Roses book was first published in 1944 with the rose section added later. Did you realize there are two types of figs, requiring two methods of pruning” Grapes also require two techniques – “cane” and “spur” as designated in our bare root catalog. For more details on these methods you can visit Grapevine Cane and Spur Pruning Fundamentals

Alas, the bare root roses once again insist on sending out buds too early to remain in their present home. Starting this week they will be transplanted to bio-degradable pots. The good news is that you can purchase them in that state and plant them, pot and all. Additionally, you can rush down to Bay Laurel Garden Center and snap them up before the transplanting proceeds. Either way, we still have many great selections.

We recently brought in a variety of cool season vegetables and herbs. Good soil and regular fertilizing can do a lot to ensure good results. Bumper Crop remains the popular choice for a soil amendment. Three main suppliers of organic fertilizers at Bay Laurel Garden Center are Dr. Earth, Down to Earth, and E. B. Stone.

Bearded iris are available at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have four varieties of re-blooming iris in gallon containers. These nice size plants will give you a good start in your perennial garden.

Do rain and mud make you feel the need for some flashy boots? We carry the Sloggers brand at Bay Laurel Garden Center. There are several styles available and we can order your size up to size 10.

The Japanese maple Sangu kaku (Coral bark maple) flaunts its colorful bark in the winter season. The rest of the year it is enveloped in pale green leaves with red margins. The small tree will grow 15 to 25 feet tall. Fall color is a vivid gold.

A plant we haven’t seen for some time is Tolleson’s Weeping Juniper. This specimen is most unique in its form. If you crave the unusual this might be the plant for you at Bay Laurel Garden Center!

Bulbs are coming soon at Bay Laurel Garden Center! Lots of ornamentals and edibles will be here this month. Look for dahlias, lilies, freesias and more to beautify the garden. For nourishment – potatoes, garlic and shallots. We’ve ordered sweet potato starts and don’t know how well they will perform but it’s always fun to experiment in the garden.

Perhaps you drove by Bay Laurel Nursery and noticed the stark transformation. Bareroot fruit trees! They are here and ready to be transported to your garden. We cover a lot of ground from apples to pomegranates to blueberries. Check out our website for the current availability at https://www.baylaurelnursery.com/

It appears folks are ordering earlier every year. If you want to be sure to find that perfect plant for next year, why not make a note in your 2023 calendar for next September as a reminder to give us a call at (805) 466-3449. We still have many great selections available including the most popular apple, Fuji, plus lots of cherries and a very popular white peach, Snow Beauty. Wait no longer!

Pruning is an essential task for great results in the home orchard. It’s beneficial to give a new fruit tree a good start. At Bay Laurel Garden Center we offer to prune trees here at time of purchase but you can check out some alternatives on the website from the Dave Wilson Nursery. In order to maintain a low growing plant with easy access to the fruit, it is recommended to start the young trees at a height of about 3 feet.

Add to your list of chores “spray peaches and nectarines with Liqui-cop”. This copper based fungicide is the best product to protect against the fungus Peach Leaf Curl which affects both fruits. Spray three times but at least twice when the leaves are totally absent: the most important spray is just before the buds open. In a wet year such as this it is even more important to protect your trees. This preventative is not necessary for first year plantings.

Cotyledon orbiculata v. oblonga (you can just call it Long Fingers). This succulent would appear to be of the frost tender variety, but not so. It’s a charming addition to the garden. The plant needs very little water. It’s quite striking even before the coral flowers clusters appear. We currently stock this plant in 4′ containers at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero.

Beauty at a bargain price – bare root roses. We have the usual rose types to accommodate your preferences at Bay Laurel Garden Center. In the mix – floribundas, hybrid teas, shrub roses, miniatures and climbing roses. Also in stock, three different sizes of tree roses. Many varieties are sold out already so don’t wait any longer!

Speaking of roses, it’s time to prune those along with your fruit trees. Be sure you remove all the old leaves. Cut the branches to an outside bud. Climbing roses have their own requirements. You can purchase a small pruning book at the nursery or go online for more info. We have special gloves for just such a task. Also on hand, Bahco pruners, which fit nicely in your hand.

Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’ serves dual purposes. In bloom, the ivory bells reach 2 feet or more. These are accompanied by dark burgundy leaves. Even when the plant is not in bloom you have a striking accent in your landscape. Finding plants with bold colored leaves is somewhat of a challenge. The Australian native, Phormium, provides some very dark foliage, but is not always content in our hot summers and cold winters. In the shade some dark leaved candidates include Black Mondo Grass as well as the perennial Ajuga.

Ready or not – the holiday season is upon us. And we’re here to help at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero. We have live Christmas trees small and tall. The lovely Nordmann Firs and Colorado Blue spruce are here. In addition, we have a large selection of Coastal Redwoods. Although not your typical holiday tree, you can dress them up for the holidays in a conspicuous place in the yard and plant them to enjoy in your landscape.

We still have bulbs for sale at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Among them are the spectacular “Amaryllis” (botanically Hippeastrum). They’re unusually large this year and should produce amazing flowers. Still awaiting homes – a variety of tulips, daffodils, Dutch iris and more. In addition to mixed Freesias, we have separate packages of white and yellow, thought to be the most fragrant. Freesias are a bit frost tender, so we recommend planting them close to the house or in another protected area.

Looks like we’re sticking with red at Bay Laurel Garden Center! This is the perennial favorite Camellia for the season, “Yuletide”. This type of Camellia known as Sasanqua blooms earlier with smaller leaves and typically single flowers as opposed to the Japonica varieties. We have both to fill your shade areas with gorgeous blooms and dark, shiny evergreen leaves. The plants prefer some acid soil and once established do not require lots of water.

Here are a few suggestions for your shopping list. Be sure and visit our Gift Gallery at Bay Laurel Garden Center for more ideas.

Don’t let a drop in the temperature dissuade you from a warm-up in the garden. Plant a sturdy shrub to add some subtle color to the garden all year long. The variegated form of Elaeagnus ‘Gilt Edge’is a great choice. The shrub grows 10 to 12 feet tall with golden edged leaves and a dense habit. Use as a specimen plant or plant several as an easy care screen.

A new grass-like plant from New Zealand has recently arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero – Dianella ‘Blaze’. The leaves are very substantial and very dark green with red veins. It is advertised to turn a deep burgundy in cold weather but that is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, it is quite a handsome addition to the garden and retains its leaves throughout the seasons. It is said to be a good substitute for Phormium (New Zealand flax) as it should be able to survive much warmer temperatures. It grows to about 2 feet tall.

Let’s call it “The pre-bareroot season without the bareroot”. We have rows and rows of berries, figs, grapes and pomegranates in quart containers ready for planting at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Be sure to check the availability by coming to the garden center or by ordering online at https://baylaurelnursery.com. We will have many of these varieties available in bareroot in January. The advantage of planting from these containers is a larger, more developed root system. Don’t forget the organic amendment and gopher protection to give your plants a proper start.

How fortunate we are to have cold hardy annuals! These colorful plants should help us get through the cold months ahead. Prime contenders are pansies, violas, calendula and the ornamental kale and cabbage. You can plant sweet peas from six packs now to enjoy in early spring.

You don’t have to travel to New England for fall color – just look around! Here are a few of the options afforded North County residents. The Chinese Pistache is one of the first to show its colors. The species has the added benefit of attractive berries, but if you choose to do without, go for ‘Keith Davey’. The Liquidamber is another popular choice and varieties are named for their fall hues – ‘Burgundy’, ‘Palo Alto’ and ‘Festival’.

You can plant a combination of deciduous and evergreen trees in your landscape. Shown here is a variety of Monterey Cypress, ‘Donard Gold’. This tree is a nice contrast to other dark leaved varieties. It will slowly reach 20 to 30′. We’ll be receiving a lot of evergreen trees and shrubs this month including topiaries.

The sweet pea family has expanded! We have lots of varieties, many old ones not available before. ‘Mollie Rilston’ has very subtle coloring, ‘Lord Nelson” arrives in bright blue and we have two orange sweet peas, ‘Spring Sunshine Orange’ and ‘Henry Eckford’. Also available are mixtures in tall and dwarf varieties. Plant the six packs now and they’ll be ready to bloom in the spring.

Stepping into the shade house at Bay Laurel Garden Center you will find a nice variety of the ground cover Vinca. Vinca major can cover a lot of ground so you should determine if your area can support such a vigorous plant. Vinca major is found with dark green leaves and also variegated ones. The same is true for Vinca minor but the leaves are much smaller and the plant grows at a slower pace. Both need only minimal irrigation when planted in the shade.

The first batch of Cyclamen has arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Cyclamen require shade and a bit of protection when the temperatures drop below freezing. These colorful plants can also be kept indoors – they prefer good light and cool temperatures.

It seems the frost is on its way. Get ready to protect your tender plants, i.e. citrus, some succulents and tender fruit trees including avocado. We carry row cloth in size 10′ x 12′. This should last for several seasons. It can also be used to cover compact fruit trees in need of bird protection.

Symphoricarpus albus is commonly known as ” Snowberry”. The small deciduous shrub exhibits large, white berries in the fall. This particular variety is ‘Tilden Park’. “Snowberry” grows to about 4 feet and spreads by underground runners. This California native is useful under oak trees and along shady banks. It is food for several bird species. Although the plant is quite drought tolerant, you will get a better crop of berries with occasional watering.

Silene and Fluffy Ann are making new friends at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero.

Be the first in your neighborhood to plant a pluerry. It’s one of the latest hybrids from the Zaiger brothers via Dave Wilson. You will harvest sweet little fruits that are a cross between a plum and a cherry. We have some in stock right now at Bay Laurel Garden Center. If you can’t wait for the bareroot season, come in and check out the potted fruit trees still available, including pluerries and lots of jujubes.

Our 2023 Bareroot Catalog is now available at Bay Laurel Garden Center. Don’t wait to order! Every day we are running out of more of our bareroot items. As you can see, the cover cleverly points out the relationships between the various stone fruits that create the interspecific hybrids such as pluots, plumcots, apriums. These are unique additions to the fruit world and well worth trying. Be sure to determine the appropriate pollenization for each variety.

The general consensus seems to be “Bring on fall!” We’re trying at Bay Laurel Garden Center! We have some smashing examples of the millet, ‘Purple Baron’, perfect for a fall event. The cold hardy annuals are trickling in. Pansies and violas are perhaps the favorites. In stock currently are some flashy Calendulas – ‘Touch of Red’ and a new more subtle variety ‘Ivory Princess’. Sweet peas are here in 6 packs. Plant them now and wait to see their fragrant blooms in spring.

Our spring blooming bulbs have arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center – mostly – including deer resistant, gopher resistant daffodils. Joining them – hyacinths, tulips, ranunculus, and crocus. Planting bulbs in fall is a very hopeful endeavor – anticipating a cheerful, floriferous spring.

Now is the best time to plant Iris rhizomes. The colors this year at Bay Laurel Garden Center include pure white, ‘Copper Classic’ (self explanatory), ‘Easter Candy’, a pastel of pink and light blue, and ‘Petalpalooza’, a striking combo of purple and light peach (pictured). This is also the time to divide old clumps of existing plants. Choose the rhizomes with at least two leaves. Let them dry out for a day or so, add some fresh compost and replant. Fertilize the plants in the spring with a fertilizer high in phosphorus – you can also add some bone meal to the hole as you plant.

Fall vegetables are ready to go! The usual “we can take the cold” guys are here at Bay Laurel Garden Center. You can plant broccoli, cauliflower, peas, lettuce and more, much more. Get those beds ready with lots of organic amendments. We have Bumper Crop, Black Diamond worm castings, chicken manure, and Raised Bed planting mix. Don’t forget to fertilize your vegetables during the growing season.

For Atascadero residents: have you noticed the trees on the corner of Morro Road and El Camino? They are ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde trees. The trees sport tiny green leaves accompanied by small yellow flowers which cover the tree for most of the spring into early summer. They produce very few seed pods and require only minimum water when established. Lately we’ve only been able to offer expensive specimens. Now, thanks to Monrovia Nursery they’re available in a 5 gallon containers.

The variety to be found among the plants described as succulents is immense. Low water requirements are a great bonus. We have an excellent group of sedums at this time at Bay Laurel Garden Center. These tough little plants make great container plants but they can be susceptible to a common insect, mealy bug. Spraying the plant with alcohol can be helpful but sometimes it’s hard to reach all the infected areas. We have a systemic for houseplants which should be an effective antidote.

One of the showiest California plants, Epilobium (formerly Zauschneria) is in full bloom right now. The typical color is reddish orange, but we currently have some pink and white flowered varieties. It’s a great time to plant natives. We have several varieties of natives in quart containers at present.

Penstemons are a popular perennial displaying lots of various colors and forms. ‘Dark Towers’ is one of the most unusual of them. The leaves have a purplish red hue and the pink flowers are among the tallest of the penstemons reaching 1 1/2 to 3 feet. A great little perennial for edging is Teucrium majoricum. Well behaved, slowly spreading with small gray leaves and lavender flowers, it blooms for a very long time and requires minimum water.

We currently have the largest and most comprehensive collection of house plants ever seen at Bay Laurel Garden Center! Do come in and check them out.

Lantanas are great hot weather plants. We’ve previously concentrated on the cold hardy types, but some of the less hardy are great color additions. And there are lots of vibrant colors. The upright, mounding ones include gold, orange, red, yellow/white bi-color. Low growing varieties are found in shades of lavender, white and yellow.

This charming native Aster is in bloom right now. Aster chilensis ‘Purple Haze’ is a lovely addition to the California native garden but at home in any perennial border. The plant will grow 1 to 3 feet tall and it spreads vigorously by underground rhizomes. Prune to the ground in winter. Considered drought tolerant but irrigation will improve its appearance. It tolerates many types of soil, takes sun or partial shade and is a favorite of bees and butterflies.

The first ‘Knock Out’ rose miniature – ‘Petite Knock Out’. The ‘Knock Out’ roses are known for their durability, disease resistance and spring to fall bloom. This new variety with it’s fire engine red blooms is no different than the original ‘Knock Out’ rose. They’re currently available as patio trees.

Pennisetum orientale ‘Tall Tails’ is an impressive grass we haven’t seen lately. This should make a bold statement in your garden! Pennisetum orientale itself is quite a bit shorter, about 3 feet. It blooms for a long period, starting out with light pink flowers which turn into a light tan color.

We just received a shipment of handsome benches and containers as well as bird baths. Come see for yourself and check out our other yard art!

A good, tough ground cover is always in demand. Phyla nodiflora, commonly called Lippia grass only grows 2″ high and is one of the few ground covers that can endure foot traffic. Plant 1 to 2 feet apart. Plants do not look great in winter but a feeding in early spring will quickly revitalize them. The pink flowers attract bees – if it’s a problem the flowers can be mowed. Not particular about soils but they are not well suited to soils containing nematodes.

A bright orange Canna sits inside one of our new containers. Cannas offer great color late in the summer season. Heights and colors vary. As you can see, they make great container plants but do just as well planted in the garden. They are effective as a border or close to pools. Once a stem is through blooming, cut to the ground and new ones will emerge. The plants die back completely in the winter, but are very cold hardy and faithfully return every year.

Here’s the cover for our 2023 Bareroot Catalog, ready to come out shortly. The website, however, is available right now. As shown on the cover, we’re highlighting the interspecific fruit trees developed by the Zaiger brothers. It’s not too early to put in your order – we’ve already taken many. Trees including persimmons and pluots are always in demand so don’t wait! You can call us or go to the website: https://www.baylaurelnursery.com