Another Vine

It must be Vine Month for me here in SoCal because almost all of mine are blooming! This is my fourth vine post this month.  This is a weird little vine that I was told was called Smilax.  Say "SMILE-lax".  It's not actually a Smilax.  It is Asparasus asparagoides.  There are many other plants in the genus Smilax.  That's why I had trouble ID-ing it.  It's common name is Smilax. Whatever!  It's a cute plant that can be a weed where unwanted.  It has a think fleshy root system like an Asparagus Fern and that's why it is hard to eradicate sometimes. This one was coming up between shrubs at a job. I dug up some about 8 years ago and have kept it in a pot.  It grows in cool weather and dies back in the hot weather. That's why you might not know it's there and plant something over it.  

 The flowers are SUPER TINY! One might not even see them. But you'll definitely smell them and go, "what's that fragrance?".  I wish this was smell-a-vision so you could enjoy it too. 

I've heard that florists like to use it in their designs. Sometimes you can cut off a big garland like part of the plant.  But it could be difficult to know what to put in the water.  

Happy Gardening! 

Pretty Red Craziness!

I planted this vine from a 1 gallon can only one year ago on one of our rebar arches.   It's Kennedia prostrata and I bought it from The Huntington. Today it is covered in flowers.   It's so pretty!  It doesn't have tendrils to grab so I have to keep tying it up. It's reached a but over the top of the arch. Being a legume in the pea family it makes pods. So I will have a lot of picking to do soon. Just like deadheading roses, picking off pods helps the plant to bloom longer. That way it doesn't spend its energy making seeds.  

 Being a legume in the pea family it makes pods. So I will have a lot of picking to do soon. Just like deadheading roses, picking off pods helps the plant to bloom longer. That way it doesn't spend its energy making seeds.  

Too bad it missed Valentine's Day ❤️

Happy Gardening! 

Orange Awesomeness!

I had a little bit of time today to work on pruning my own roses. But I just had to stop and share what  our fence looks like today. It's Pyrostegia venusta or Flame Vine on a 4' tall chain link fence. I think it's Orange Awesomeness!  It was one of the first things I planted when we moved here.  It does share that fence with  Bauhinia corymbosa. But you can only see wisps of that right now.

This is from our west side neighbors. 

I know that not everybody enjoys the color orange. I'm not sure why.  In our very sunny SoCal climate the hot colors really pop while the soft blues and pinks sometimes just don't show up.  But my Mom always says if we liked the same things we'd all be the same.

How gorgeous are these flowers!!! 

What's blooming in your garden? 

First Sweet Peas!

I'm still working a LOT, have many rose pruning jobs and have lots of work in my own garden to do. It's been in the high 80s to 90º temps here in the LA area. It's crappy weather for Feb.

But I wanted to share that my first Sweet Peas are blooming!
Happy Gardening!

Mary Lou or Janice?

After a full exhausting month of pruning my client's rose bushes I had a little bit of time today to start my own. I did 5! Who-hoo! But I have begun! My garden is so full of weeds, ready to be cleaned and the roses pruned. If only I had time. I'm tired and sore when I get home. Maybe I'll have an hour here and there. I still have a full February of pruning and regular garden jobs ahead.

I did cut this beautiful Red rose today. When I got it the rose was called Mary Lou Heard. Named after the nursery owner of Heard's Country Garden in Westminster, CA who died in 2002. It was a lovely garden center and I would make the 45 minute drive to Orange County once a year or so to visit it. About 7 years ago the rose was renamed Janice Kellogg for the proprietor of Kellogg Garden Products who died just last year 2015. When it was MLH the rose was classified as a Hybrid Tea. Now that it's JK it's a Floribunda. It IS a shorter growing bush with short stems. But the flowers are BIG, about 5". Makes it hard to classify.   I was kinda bummed at the name change. But rose companies need to sell plants. And I guess a name that's more known nationally might sell better. Whatever! I'll still remember this rose as Mary Lou Heard.

Happy Gardening!