California | Gordon's Gardens

This just in…Craigslist founder will donate $1 to the National Wildlife Federation for every tweet about squirrels or on his Facebook page. Squirrels? I love squirrels (out in nature), too, so I can understand why he’d do such a thing. It makes me happy that others have an affinity for squirrels as much as I do (and someone who actually has money enough to donate it).

So this got me thinking about squirrels more. They come up often in my English classes. When I think the kids aren’t paying attention I’ll somehow insert the word “squirrel” into my lecture. ”The Victorian Era is known for serialized novels, celebration of childhood, imperialism, and squirrels.” This helps me figure out who’s listening or not. I’ve been doing it so often that now the students bring up squirrels before I get the chance. One of them even bought me a plush squirrel. We named it Chippy. Chippy is now the class mascot and is sometimes blamed when assignments are not turned in or corrected in time.

Squirrels in the Garden

But there’s more to squirrels than the absurdity that I like to bring to my classroom. I enjoy seeing squirrels out in nature doing their squirrelly thing in the forests, but they’re not so cute when they’re wreaking havoc in your garden. They may eat your fruits, vegetables, plastic irrigation lines, plant and tree roots, or they chew the bark off of trees. Ground squirrels will burrow in lawns, under houses, patios, etc., destroying lawns, creating uneven ground, and possibly causing expensive structural damage to buildings. Tree squirrels won’t burrow underground, but will cause damage in tree canopies and even eat the eggs out of birds’ nests.

Managing Squirrels in Your Yard

But aren’t squirrels cute? They’re so adorable when they’ve girdled your cedar tree or destroyed your drip lines. Yeah … so, uh, you’re probably wondering … how do you get rid of them? Mechanical methods are best, but not always fool proof. Exclusion and trapping can work. If the fruit tree is small enough, building a screen around it will keep the squirrels (and birds) out, but that’s not always a viable option. Screening over a vegetable garden can keep them out, too. I’ve also seen people hang CDs or mylar strips in trees as a means of scaring them away. I’m not sure how successful they are, though. Live trapping always sounds nice because of the romantic ideas of releasing the urban squirrel into the great rural fields where we think they all would rather be anyway, but that’s a bit too idealistic. In California, live trapping is very unsuccessful because it’s illegal to release trapped animals in a new area, so you’ll just have to release a trapped animal back into your yard (or the neighbor’s?) or euthanize them. If that’s the case then you might as well use death traps, or better yet, learn to live with a little squirrel damage (if it’s not too intense).

From my own experience, the most effective method of keeping squirrels out of your yard is by keeping your dog in your yard. Not only are the squirrels too scared to jump into your yard from the fence, but chasing them also gives your dog (or dogs) exercise.

Walter the dog intently looking at...a squirrel? No, probably at food or another dog.

And now off to tweet about squirrels to make some money for NWF…. (I better learn how to use Twitter stat!

A Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel stands in front of a camera while Melissa and Jackson Brandts are taking a photo of themselves at Banff National Park. The image has spread virally around the internet, making the Brandts, the squirrel, and Banff National Park momentarily famous. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

March 19, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens 2 Comments

How do you make a water treatment plant pretty? Turn it into a Japanese garden!

Bird's eye view

The City of Los Angeles figured out an interesting way to beautify an ugly industrial plant and re-use wastewater. Adjacent to the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, California is a impeccably manicured 6.5 acre Japanese garden. It is fittingly called Suiho-en, which means “Garden of Water and Fragrance.” I was in LA last weekend to attend the wedding of two of my best friends from high school and had some time to spare before my flight home, so I got to experience this water and fragrance first hand.

Prunus serrulata 'kwanzan'

The fragrance was especially strong nearest the processing plant over by the blooming Japanese flowering cherry trees (Prunus serrulata ’kwanzan’). They were all in full bloom, but the fragrance I could smell was coming over the fence from where the reclaimed water was actually being treated before going into the lakes and streams of the garden, nearby Balboa Lake, and the Los Angeles River. According to the pamphlet we received when entering the garden, no solids are treated here at this particular plant, but it sure didn’t smell that way.

But really, that fragrance was rather minor compared to the overall beauty of the entire garden. There were a few other areas that didn’t smell as fresh and crisp as I would have expected, but it was rather warm that day in LA. All joking aside, growing a garden with reclaimed water is a great and very eco-friendly thing to do. Water has always been a limited resource in LA, as it now is in so many areas across the US from our rather dry winter this year. Suiho-en shows that you still can have a beautiful garden with reclaimed water – and it’s been showing this for the last 25 years. For more information, check out their website at www.thejapanesegarden.com

I was quite impressed with Suiho-en. I visited several amazing gardens when I was in Japan two summers ago and this Southern California version was very reminiscent of what I saw there, although with definite California twist (such as the California redwoods – Sequoia sempervirens – instead of the traditional Japanese redwood - Cryptomeria japonica).

The balance of Yin and Yang was apparent. My few hours there with family was quite rejuvenating – exactly what I needed after all the stress of work, school, and traveling.

Here are some shots I took during my visit:

Waterfall with a Great Egret in the center

Shallow pond

View from the entrance

Close up with cormorant

Zen rock garden

Bamboo grove

Sad redwoods....they're coastal trees and don't do so well in the heat of the San Fernando Valley.

Bamboo fountain

View with treatment plant in the background. The building looked like something out of a 1970s dystopian movie...Logan's Run maybe?

The Kasuga Lantern

Ginkgo biloba - already leafed out!

Bamboo-lined walkway

Shade loving Clivia miniata - beautiful!

What a view!

February 26, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens 1 Comment

Yerba Buena Nursery

With my week off from work I figured I would have a lot of time to write several interesting posts about many of the topics I’ve had on the back burner. Unfortunately, my two household repairs I had planned that were only going to take a day and a half to complete took significantly longer than expected. At least I have a new insulated door to the backyard (much more energy efficient and safer than the flimsy wooden that was there before) and a light above the stove so I can more readily see that I’ve burned dinner again.

I did take some time to check out a California native plant nursery called Yerba Buena Nursery in Woodside, California between San Francisco and San Jose. It’s a bit of a trek from either of those locations, two miles down a dirt road into an ocean-facing ravine off of Skyline Boulevard/CA-35 just south of Woodside Road, but well worth it. It felt like I was on a mini-vacation! The adventure there was half the fun, driving on winding roads through grasslands with oaks and occasional redwood groves. By the time I arrived I was relaxed and in a great mood.

Yerba Buena Nursery's sign (yes, that's a giant fake chicken underneath the sign)

The nursery was worth the time it took to get there. The selection of natives was great. I saw many plants I have never been able to find anywhere, including a wild rose (Rosa californica) that I’ve unsuccessfully tried to grow myself from seed. Unlike the typical roses many people keep in their gardens, the stems of the wild rose is completely covered with small thorns and has simple pinkish 5-petaled flowers that smell amazing. I’ve never been a fan of most typical garden roses (and all the upkeep they require), but I do love these. They remind me of many stream-side locations along the Eastern Sierra that I enjoyed so much as a kid. I first discovered them because I would constantly get my fishing line caught in them when my Grandpa would take us out fishing in Lone Pine, CA for weeks at a time. One day I got up close and personal with one to remove my hook and line and realized just how amazing they are. I couldn’t hate them for tangling up my line after that. Anyway, I was so happy to see them at Yerba Buena Nursery that I almost bought one to take home …. well, until I realized that my mud pit of a back yard hasn’t been planned out yet so I better wait on buying any plants (no matter how tempting they were). The picture below is a good image of the flower, but the plant as a whole is really beautiful. I didn’t take any pictures of it, so this will have to suffice until next time I see one at the nursery or in the wild.

California Wild Rose, Rosa californica (Image via Wikipedia)

Even more impressive than the selection of plants were the demonstration gardens. I walked through them and yet I almost walked right by them and didn’t notice them. Native plants growing in a natural canyon don’t stand out that much, but that’s what made it so amazing. If it weren’t for the tags that told me what plant was what, I would have thought I had left the nursery and walked up the side of the hill.

Pond near the redwoods

Beautiful plants!

In addition to the beautiful plants and demonstration gardens, there is also a store for garden-related items. I was mostly drawn to the few native plant books they had on display, but there were plenty of other things that could help accentuate your garden, including native wildflower seeds.

Yerba Buena Nursery Storefront

Overall, while the nursery itself was a bit difficult to get to, it was well worth the adventure. I can’t wait to go back and spend more time there (once I can finally buy some plants for my yard)!

February 18, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens 2 Comments

Star light, star bright, why did this stargazer lily stain my shirt tonight?

Lilium orientalis cv. Stargazer (Image via Wikipedia)

“A stargazer lily for Valentine’s Day??? Oh, you shouldn’t have! No, really. You shouldn’t have.” is the response that many people make to this large and fragrant lily flower.

People I know either love or hate Lilium orientalis ‘Stargazer.’ I never really had an opinion about them, so after my friend emailed me asking, “Why do so many arrangements include those awful star lilies that smell so strongly and make permanent orange stains on stuff?” I decided to find out a bit more about them.

Look at those anthers full of pollen just waiting to wreak havoc on your white shirt. What a wolf in sheep's clothing! (Image via Wikipedia)

I did already know about how their pollen can stain clothing. I learned that the hard way when I was a kid. The stains will eventually fade, especially if you use a pre-treater before throwing the stained clothing in the washer. Luckily most of my clothes at the time were kid-friendly hand-me-downs that my brother had already “broken in” before he outgrew them. It’s more of a problem when you start wearing nicer clothes….like that “dry clean only” blue sweater that is now the blue sweater with rust-colored spots (I guess I can call it speckled robin egg). If you notice the pollen has landed on your clothes before you’ve smeared it everywhere, you actually have a chance of preventing any stains if you quickly knock the pollen off by shaking the clothing or flicking your finger on the backside of the affected area. Just be careful that you don’t fling it onto someone else’s clothes. It’s the smearing and unsuccessful attempts to brush it off that cause the stains.

These flowers are everywhere these days but have only been around since 1978 when they were first cultivated in California (Does that make it a California native? Politically, yes; botanically, no). They quickly became a Valentine’s Day favorite because of their pinks and reds, and the ability to charge a lot of money for them. We also typically see them around Mother’s Day because what mom wouldn’t enjoy their strong fragrance that quickly overpowers any unpleasant odors that may be emanating from their children….unless of course mom is too busy sneezing from an allergic reaction to the pollen.

For lovers of the stargazer lily, you can make them last longer in water by removing the pollen-laden anthers. You can do the same for stargazers still growing on the plant, too, either in a pot or in the ground. Sure, they won’t pollinate if there isn’t any pollen to be had, but there’s no use trying to get them to seed anyway since they’re a cultivar (although they are often mistakenly referred to as a “hybrid”). Their seeds will not produce another stargazer lily.

Close up of the anthers of an Asiatic Lily, which are similar to those of the Stargazer. Their anthers have an interesting "teeter-totter" effect in the wind. (Image via Wikipedia)

If you can find the bulbs, you can even try to grow them yourself in pots or loose, well-drained soil. Plant them in the fall or spring and give them full sun. They aren’t as easy to grow as other lilies, so if you’re new to lilies you’d be better off starting out with Asiatic lilies. They come in a variety of colors and are a bit simpler than stargazers. If you hate stargazers, you’ll probably appreciate these more anyway.

Orange Lily (Image via Wikipedia)

January 30, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens 2 Comments

Well I’ll be a Monkey Flower’s Uncle

I’ve always been a big fan of the various natural landscapes in California, but I usually tend to miss the forest for the trees when it comes to annuals. I’m usually drawn to the variety of trees and shrubbery for their consistency. Annuals…well…they come and go.

One such group of annuals that I have never paid much attention to are the many species of Monkey Flowers (Mimulus spp.) in the Figwort family (Phrymaceae, formerly Scrophulariaceae) that are annuals. There are also perennial species of Monkey Flower (Diplacus spp. according to some, but still in the Mimulus genus to others), which are the Monkey Flowers I have a deeper appreciation for and know a bit better. I have seen the annual species here and there and have found the pretty flowers quite appealing (especially the yellow ones), but knowing how fast they come and go prevents me from growing too attached. The perennial species only live two to five years as it is. A friend and fellow California Native Plant Society member suggested I write a post on monkey flowers, so I’ve decided to give them a closer look. In my search, I was shocked to find out that a little plant I see every year on vacation in the Eastern Sierras was in fact an annual Monkey Flower, hence what prompted the title of this post.

So the first question I desired to answer when researching this plant was with the name….Monkey Flower. When looking at the beautiful rich yellow of Common Monkey Flower (M. guttatus) or the bright violet Frémont’s Monkey Flower (M. fremontii), I see a five-lobed, pretty flower, but I have a hard time seeing the monkey anywhere. ”Mimus” is Latin for “mimic actor,” and the the disproportionately large flowers on certain species is said by many to appear to look like a monkey or a just a face in general. Perhaps if I ate some of it, I’d see the monkeys (they are edible you know).

Mimulus fremontii, Image via Wikipedia

M. fremontii is a native Californian annual commonly found in the southern parts of the state. It thrives in sandy soil near streams and around shrubs. Like many species of Monkey Flower, it prefers wet conditions. Look at the picture. Do you see the face? (Let me know if you do, because I still can’t.)

As I continued to research monkey flowers I quickly discovered that there were many species out there…approximately 77, actually. While there’s no way I can manage to cover all of them here (even if I only focused on the California natives), I will just focus on two other species – an annual and a perennial – that I enjoy.

Mimulus rubellus Image via Wikipedia

M. jepsonii is the one annual Monkey Flower with which I am actually quite familiar. It is a rather small plant with little purple flowers that enjoy dry sandy conditions. I’ve seen then in fields in the Eastern Sierras, especially the Mammoth Lakes area, and even in the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base. They are so small and spread out that they don’t look like a carpet of purple on the plain, as romantic as that might be. Because of their size you can easily miss them, or at least not see them until you’re on top of them. This is why I enjoy them so much. They’re an unsuspected little surprise and I’m always excited to see them….and I always try to take pictures of them. Unfortunately I cannot find one at present, but above is an image of M. rubellus which looks similar. I’ll update the picture as soon as I can find one that I have taken.

English: Mimulus aurantiacus in Mission Trails...

M. aurantiacus with red flowers, Image via Wikipedia

The Sticky Monkey Flower (M. aurantiacus) is the Monkey Flower that most people think of in California when they hear the words “monkey flower” and “native” grouped together. It’s one of my favorite because of the variety of colors (and that it’s not an annual). It’s often found in natural areas in Northern California with numerous yellow to orange to red flowers. Yellow seems to be the most common color I see growing on canyon slopes and hillsides areas in and around San Francisco. The Sticky Monkey Flower is actually considered a subshrub or a shrub because it can sometimes be the size of a shrub or somewhere between that of a shrub and ground cover. It’s called “sticky” because the surface of its leaves are sticky, but not sappy or messy. This plant does well in well-draining soil in your garden. Like many California native plants, it does not require a lot of care and pandering like many other plants commonly used in typical landscaping. If you live inland or in an otherwise warm climate, make sure it gets some summer water and some light shade if you don’t want it to drop its leaves. It can be drought tolerant, but prefers to be watered moderately and regularly. They look beautiful when planted in front of larger shrubs in planting beds…….and when growing wildly along your favorite hiking trail. Look for their bright blooms from March through June.

Mimulus aurantiacus with yellow flowers, Image via Wikipedia

January 25, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens Leave a comment

Stock up on tequila before it’s too late! Two different types of mealybugs are infesting agave and succulents in Southern California

Image via Wikipedia

Well, maybe your tequila is safe for now, but if you live in Southern California you should be aware that two different species of mealybugs (from different genera) have been discovered infesting agave and succulent plants in many nurseries.

The California FDA issued Nursery Advisory No. 01-2012 on January 23rd to Agricultural Commissioners across the state to warn of the Agave Mealybug threat. So far there are no known cases of these mealy bugs loose in the environment, but agricultural inspectors for Riverside and San Diego counties have identified these mealy bugs at 13 nurseries since February 2011. While it’s unlikely that every day consumers will come across infected agaves or succulents at their local garden stores, it’s still good to be aware of the outbreak in case the mealybugs do spread.

These mealybugs are described as being waxy, pinkish-purple with a gray hue, and are typically located around the main stem or whorl of the plant. Check out the above link to the letter from the state to see pictures of a few infected agaves and one succulent.

Not to make light of a possibly bad situation, but let’s hope these mealybugs aren’t spreading through Mexico and affecting the Agave tequilana. If there’s a tequila shortage then I’ll have to give up my day job. Margaritas are the only thing that get me through the week.

January 23, 2012
by Gordon's Gardens Leave a comment

Agapanthus orientalis, more commonly known as Lily of the Nile or Gas Station Lily

Agapanthus orientalis inflorescence

Some people might be shocked, and perhaps will even write me off, because I am devoting my first plant post to Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus orientalis), AKA agapanthus. This plant is commonly used in designed California landscapes because of it’s beauty and how easy it is to grow in our climate. It is often found in pots at gas stations, planted in small islands amongst rows of cars in strip mall parking lots, and at one point was often seen along California highway onramps when the state had money to invest in “freeway beautification.” Of course, when there becomes an influx of too many of one thing, that thing begins to lose value and favor in the eyes of some. Perhaps this “upturning of the nose” is more common in California because we’re fortunate enough to have agapanthuses blooming year round. Maybe if we lived on the East Coast some of us would appreciate them a bit more and not give them common names like “gas station lily,” “freeway lily,” or “obnoxioupanthus.”

Agapanthus orientalis inflorescence and leaves

But I am not here to further promote the anti-agapanthus movement. While it isn’t my favorite plant on earth, it does stir up childhood memories for me of my Grandparents’ backyard in Los Angeles. As someone attuned to plants, a lot of my memories are strongly tied to the sights and smells of the flora I encounter (just wait until I write my posts on Artemisia tridentata, Pinus jeffreyi, and Ephedra californica!) When I think of childhood Easter egg hunts in Grandma and Grandpa’s backyard, I think of how my aunt used to purposely hide hard-boiled eggs amongst the snails living around the base of the agapanthus plant next to the giant grapefruit tree. I was one of the few grandkids who wasn’t disgusted by the sight of a slimy snail creeping along a poorly-died egg in the dirt. I wasn’t going to eat the shell anyway…..I let my brother do that instead.

Agapanthus orientalis with white flowers, found growing in the St. Mary's Park neighborhood of San Francisco

If personal memories of mine or of your own aren’t enough to inspire appreciation of Agapanthus orientalis, perhaps it’s name will be of interest. Botanical names are all latinized and typically get their monikers in one of these ways: 1) after the person who first recorded the plants existence, 2) after specific characteristics of the plant, or 3) after the location where the plant was discovered. So “orientalis” should make you think “Orient,” and therefore coming from somewhere in Asia or nearby. But Agapanthus orientalis is from South Africa. How can this be? Is the Orient really just anywhere that’s not Europe? Well, it was for the explorers back in the day when various European monarchs were sending them off to find places to conquer and colonize. There wasn’t much a difference to the first people who brought Agapanthus orientalis to Europe whether they picked the plant up in Africa, Indonesia, or what is now known as Florida. It was all the Orient to them. So we who talk poorly about this plant nowadays weren’t the first to disrespect it. How many other ways can we offend this plant? Eh, it doesn’t really matter. Look at how well they grow. It’s obvious they don’t care what we say about them or call them.

Plants like agapanthus serve many purposes: 1) They are relatively easy to grow, so even the garden novice can enjoy some horticultural success and be inspired to have faith in their green thumbs. 2) When grown in groups and not completely neglected, they grow large and make us feel like we are in a lush and perhaps even tropical environment. 3) Those spikes of large violet or dark blue or white inflorescences contrasting against the giant mounds of long, bright green leaves truly do inspire you to wish you were somewhere calm and peaceful – or maybe just confuse your mind into thinking you’re not really about to sit in what could be hours of traffic on the freeway.

So next time you see Agapanthus orientalis growing in that gas station planter or next to where you parked your car, think about their beauty, the memories they may inspire in you, or feel bad for how we humans have mistreated them over the centuries. This will take your mind off the fact that gas is almost $4.00 a gallon and the last thing you want to do after working all day is go grocery shopping.

Agapanthus orientalis

Gordon's Gardens

Exploring California's tended and untended landscapes

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