Southern California Garden Show Season Opener - Part 1 of 2

The Speaker's Area entrance

April. How I wish you were two months, not one. So much to do. Including take in garden shows and tours. The season opener this year: the Southern California Spring Garden Show at South Coast Plaza. 

With all that needs to be done in my own garden and the pile of paper needing personal attention, why leave home? For the same reason God gave man the Sabbath and cultures celebrate. It is good to look up. To commune and to learn. 

It took 3 authors to compile the authoritative California Native Plants for the Garden- Carol Bornstein, David Fross and Bart O'Brien. Don't you just love the serape the Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens displayed it on? 

At home, my 'Ida Red' iris  from Greenwood Garden just finished its 5 month-long  extended blooming season. That performance earned it some shopping for companions. At the show, the horticulturist's wife and daughter  were wonderful about helping me choose garden- mates to pretty-up its stand in my garden.  The larger bold pink is a regal  geranium named 'Belinda'. The prom queen will need to be cut back 70% in the fall. Next spring , from her cuttings will spring joyous progeny ):- 

Aurelia from Greenwood garden 

These miniature Martha Washington geraniums - 'Aurelia' - these are simply brilliant defining the waist of a planter box or edging the garden path. 

Fern farmer  Jim Boehme expanded on what belongs in the garden designer's repertoire of California natives- hiking in our local hills and mountains, in the shade along stream beds are ferns. Among his collection sold to collectors and commercial aggregates are the indigenous 'Woodwardia  fimbriata' and the lovely immigrant  Korean Rock fern  'Polystichum tsus-simense'. Deep green and well behaved, it deserves to be in more landscapes. You can check out  the Fern Factory's  extensive collection of specialties  here .

Stay tuned. The handsome young man at the counter of the all soil solutions specialist  ENRECOS  expanded upon the wonders of worm composting- sharing that besides succulents and natives "This is the year of the dahlia." 

The next edition of the blog will tell you more about the  artists who sparked a  garden craze.

Next up-  you will be treated to some plant-envy inducing introductions, garden hints and highlights. Including introducing you to the Fullerton based mosaic artists whose work is shown above. Then it is on to the Fullerton Open Gardens Tour... 

Until then- Take time to do something to make the world more beautiful.