Garden Report – May 2013
A Note from the Garden: Forage In Your Garden
Plants with edible fruits and vegetables can be easily incorporated into your existing perennial flower beds or landscape. Foraging on fruits and berries while tending your garden is a heavenly treat. If you are really adventurous plant tomatoes, squash, artichokes, blueberries, strawberries, citrus, guava, passion fruit, loquat, and even cherries. Send me an email or give me a call to discuss your options based on your location, micro climate, and sun exposure.
Plant of the Month: Gardenia
Gardenia is a genus of 142 species of in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania.
The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus and John Ellis after Dr. Alexander Garden (1730-1791), a Scottish-born American naturalist.
They are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing to 3 to 49 ft. tall. The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four, 2 to 20 in. long and 1 to 10 in. broad, dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. The flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white, or pale yellow, with a tubular-based corolla with 5-12 lobes (petals) from 2 to 5 in. in diameter. Flowering is from about mid-spring to mid-summer and many species are strongly scented.
Plant Monrovia Mystery Gardenias for their large exquisite white flower and spicy sweet fragrance.
What’s Blooming Now: Jacaranda
Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical regions of Central America, South America especially in Brazil and Argentina, Cuba, Hispaniola and the Bahamas. It has been planted widely in Asia, especially in Nepal. It is found throughout the Americas and Caribbean, and has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, India, Fiji, Portugal, Spain and parts of Africa. The genus name is also used as the common name.
What’s Also Blooming Now: Yucca
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40 to 50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white and whitish flowers.
Tour: Santa Barbara’s Historic Downtown Adobes
The Pearl Chase Society is a non-profit conservancy committed to preserving sites of enduring community value in and around Santa Barbara.
A pioneer in the fields of conservation, preservation, social services, and civic planning, Pearl Chase was devoted to improving the surroundings of others. For 70 years, from the time of her graduation from the University of California Berkeley in 1909, until her death, she was a dominant force in molding the character of Santa Barbara.
Pearl Chase was instrumental in the conservation of the historic Moreton Bay Fig Tree and Santa Barbara’s beachfront, now known as Chase Palm Park, and in the restoration of the Presidio, the City’s 18th-century birthplace. She was selected Woman of the Year by the L.A. Times in 1952, and was chosen Santa Barbara’s first Woman of the Year in 1956. Her well-deserved reputation as a preservationist was acknowledged by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which awarded her their highest honor in 1973.
The Chase family home on Anacapa Street, a private residence, is now a designated city landmark and is for sale.
The Pearl Chase Society conducts an annual adobe tour that was held last weekend, it was the 14th annual tour, put it on your calendar for next year. Our Spanish heritage is reflected in the beautiful architecture throughout the community.
Tour: Casa del Herrero
Santa Barbara is rich with architectural style, design and history. One example is Casa del Herrero, a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture that can be found in Santa Barbara. This 11 acre estate built in 1925 was designed by famed architect George Washington Smith.
It is fortunate the public has access to this property by way of scheduled tours. The estate is located at 1387 E. Valley Rd, Montecito, CA. Tours are conducted on Wednesdays at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm and Saturdays at 10:00 am and Saturdays at 2:00 pm. The fee is $20.00 for an hour and a half tour that includes the home furnished with 14th to 18th century antiques and grounds appointed with Moorish style gardens.
To schedule a private group tour, call 805-565-5653 or email tours@casadelherrero.com.
SHOW: Central Coast 6th Annual Cactus & Succulent Society
The Annual Show and Sale will be held May 25th and 26th at Ludwick Center, 864 Santa Rosa St, San Luis Obispo, CA (corner of Mill St. from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information log on to www.CentralCoastCactus.org
Santa Barbara Garden Stuff: Public Gardens Appreciation Month
May is Santa Barbara Public Gardens Appreciation Month. Now scheduled are 10 Free garden talks being presented by the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Public Gardens Partnership.
For more information on all talks and activities please visit www.sbpublicgardens.org
Weather Report by NOAA – 7 Day Forecast:
This site, NOAA.gov, is a top priority for accurate weather reports and forecasts. Tune in a get up to date to adjust your irrigation system.
Garden Tips:
- Clean and sharpen your tools
- Control mosquitoes with fish delivered by Vector Control of Santa Barbara or Mosquito Dunks in small water features – available in liquid or granules.
- Start an herb and vegetable garden this month
- Always clean shears and clippers with a bleach solution to avoid spreading disease
- Lawn mowers spread grasses and weeds from lawn to lawn
- Set gopher traps and tell the ground squirrels to go home!
- Conserve water by installing a thick layer of mulch and water in the morning
- Replace your lawn with less water demanding plants
- Check landscape lighting timers to adjust for shorter daylight hours
- Snail bait by Sluggo is pet friendly and will biodegrade
