Newsletter for February 2026

If you long for more fruit trees in your garden and see the bareroot bargain prices – hesitate not! This is the month to do it. We still have a good variety of trees, even persimmons at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We usually sell out of them at this time, but we still have quite a few Fuyus and some Hachiyas. Check our website for current availability at baylaurelnursery.com .

In truth – it’s still winter. But that’s no excuse for a colorless landscape! We still have a lot of pansies and violas and we are adding some lovely Iceland poppies at Bay Laurel Garden Center. The Colibri varieties were bred in Italy for the cut flower trade – they have exceptionally large flowers in vibrant colors. To prepare the flowers for cutting, sear the stems.

Also arriving this week at Bay Laurel Garden Center – a few more herbs and vegetables. English thyme is included. Seems like a lot of recipes include thyme, recommended fresh if possible. These leaves are very tiny! Found a tip on the internet: push a stem through a small hole in a strainer and voila – off come the leaves. Parsley is indispensable for the cook and should be replenished after a year or two. Look for 4″ perennial vegetables – artichokes, asparagus and rhubarb.

Cool season perennials are also showing their colors. The earliest lavenders are the Spanish lavenders. In addition to the typical purple and lavender shades, the newest varieties include flowers in shades of pink and rose. Osteospermums are beginning to bloom in North County gardens. They come in a great variety of hues – single and double flowers alike.

Plant succulents in preparation for the summer months ahead. Abundant and attractive are the members of the Echeveria genus. The number of succulents seem to be infinite – the Echeverias themselves number over 150 to 200, not counting the thousands of cultivated hybrids. Color palettes range from white to black. Most species can tolerate temperatures from 20 to 25. Look for some new ones this week.

Summer blooming bulbs have arrived at Bay Laurel Garden Center. We have some great Dahlia tubers. Types include Dinner Plate, Decorative and Ball. A favorite with subtle shades of cream and beige is Cafe au lait – the color can also vary with weather and time of year.

When large areas cry out for greenery turn to flats of ground cover. The list is quite extensive although the availability varies from week to week. For shady areas look to vinca minor for controlled growth and vinca major for large swathes. Campanula offers lovely blue flowers in summer, as does Isotoma. Sunny choices include creeping thymes, iceplants, gazanias, Santa Barbara daisies and lots more.

Some of the new decorative pots for you to discover at Bay Laurel Garden Center in Atascadero!