Laguna Beach — design or happenstance?

Ahhhh, the coast. Most of us live within an hour or less of the ocean, but how often do we go? I grew up in St. Louis, and my favorite song in the 60’s was the Beach Boys California Girls. I have vowed never to take the ocean for granted!

The Sunset Magazine Western Garden Book has 24 climate zones; number 24 is designated “Marine influence along the Southern California Coast”. This is the most benevolent of climates. Never too hot or too cold, it is dominated by the mild Pacific Ocean in Southern California. The nurseries along the Coast tend to mirror the climate, carrying tender plants as well as succulents, Australians and tropicals. I have been told that tomatoes don’t care for the coast, although there are always exceptions. And who hasn’t cursed the mildew on their roses during “June gloom”? After all, it’s only fair that there be some disadvantages to living on the coast! Below is a list of truly coastal nurseries (all are listed to the left):

Ventura County:

• Island View Nursery (www.islandviewnursery.com)
• Rincon Gardens (805–658-1518)
• Seaside gardens (www.seaside-gardens.com)

Malibu:

• Cosentino’s Nursery (310–457-3981)
• Malibu Gardens Nursery (310–457-3981)
• Pacific View Nursery (310–457-8356)

Los Angeles

• Marina del Rey Garden Center (www.Marinagardencenter.com)
• Merrihews Sunset Gardens (310–452-1051)

South Bay/Long Beach

• Deep Roots Garden Center (www.deep-roots.net)
• Performance Garden Nursery (www.performancenursery.com)
• Peters Garden Center (310–372-2288)

Orange County

• Brita’s Old Town Gardens (www.britasgardens.com)
• Dana Point Nursery (949–496-5137)
• Laguna Nursery (www.lagunanursery.net)
• Laguna Gardens Nursery (949–497-4950)
• Rogers Gardens (www.rogersgardens.com)
• Seaside Growers (www.seasidegrowers.com)
• Shore Gardens (949–942-3526)

San Diego County

• Cedros Gardens (www.cedrosgardens.com)
• Jungle Music (www.junglemusic.net)
• Solana Succulents (www.solanasucculents.com)

Blooming in Laguna Beach

My home office

It seems that the people who would most love to access the gardening web — you and I — sometimes have the hardest time. Web fluency does not come naturally to those of us over a certain age. But that shouldn’t stop anybody…we are all teachable and it is so empowering to learn computer skills — I can attest to that. I have been told that the tablet type computers — such as the Ipad and Android — are easier and intuitive for emailing and web surfing. Apple is very good at teaching their customers  how to use their products at free seminars at the Apple stores. Definitely worth looking into! Ironically, if you are reading this you are obviously on the internet already; maybe you could encourage somebody else? The following are favorite nursery websites, gardening websites and blogs:

Websites:

SoCalNurseryPlants.com:

Specialty nurseries:

Ventura County:

• Australian Native Plant Nursery.….www.australianplants.com
• Matilija Nursery.….www.matilijanursery.com (natives, specializing in irises)
• Nopalito Native Plant Nursery.….www.nopalitonursery.com
• Otto and Sons.….www.ottoandsons-nursery.com (a loving grower of every kind of rose)

Los Angeles/East Valley:

• California Cactus Center.….www.cactuscenter.com
• Theodore Payne Foundation.….www.theodorepayne.org (native plants)

Los Angeles/West Valley

• Papaya Tree Nursery.…..www.papayatreenursery.com (specializing in fruiting trees and shrubs)

Los Angeles

• Rolling Greens Nursery/Culver City.….www.rollinggreensnursery.com (orchids, indoor plants, containers)
• Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens Grow Native Nursery @ the West Los Angeles Veterans Center.….www.rsabg.org (native plants)

Orange County:

• Tree of Life Nursery.…www.californianativeplants.com (native plants)
• Upland Nursery.…www.uplandnursery.com (350 varieties of plumeria)
• Laguna Nursery.….www.lagunanursery.net (unusual fountains and antiques)
• Barrels and Branches.….www.barrelsandbranches.com (Especially good seasonal displays)

San Diego County

Cedros Gardens.….www.cedrosgardens.com (special native plant section)

• Botanical Partners/Bamboo Headquarters.….www.botanicalpartners.com (experts on bamboo)
• Pearson’s Gardens and Herb Farm.….www.pearsonsgardens.com (every kind of herb imaginable)
• Buena Creek Gardens.…www.buenacreekgardens.com (demonstration gardens)
• Green Gardens Nursery.….www.sdgreengardens.com (great service andlandscaping help)
• Simpson’s Garden Town Nursery.….www.simpsonsnursery.com (includes avintage car museum)

Great Regional Nurseries:

Ventura County:

• Island View Nursery.….www.islandviewnursery.com
• Seaside Gardens.….www.seaside-gardens.com

Los Angeles/East Valley

• Burkard Nursery.….www.burkardnurseries.com

Los Angeles/West Valley

• Sperling Nursery.….www.sperlingnursery.com

Los Angeles

• Marina del Rey Garden Center.….www.marinagardencenter.com

Orange County

• Roger’s Gardens.….www.rogersgardens.com
• Plant Depot.….www.plantdepot.com
• Village Nurseries.….www.villagenurserieslc.com

San Diego County

• Anderson’s La Costa Nursery.….www.andersonslacostanursery.com
• Walter Andersen Nursery.….www.walterandersen.com

More Websites

www.blotanical.com.….garden blogs from all over the world

www.sunset.com.….includes Sunset Magazines “plant finder”

www.finegardening.com.….includes articles from the magazine

www.authenticprovence.com.….beautiful European garden accessories

www.floragrubb.com.….great ideas for containers and flower arrangements

www.gardenvisit.com.….gardens to visit from all over the world

www.backyardgardener.com/forums.….forums on every topic imaginable

www.dirtcouture.com.….catalog of handmade items

www.gardenguides.com.….everything garden

www.cal-IPC.org.….info on invasive plants

www.rareforms.com.….where food,art and gardening meet — great photos

www.rosalindcreasy.com.….edible landscaping — great photos

www.plantnative.org.….info on native planting

www.thewillowfarm.com.….everything willow including fencing

www.strawbalegardens.com.….how to make a straw bale garden

www.gardenconservancy.com.….source for info on Open Days garden tours

www.mastergardenerssandiego.com.….access to services

www.plantfinder.sunset.com.….Sunset Magazine plantfinder

www.monrovia.com.….search their plant catalog using specific criteria

Blogs

(n.) Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Often updated daily, blogs may reflect the personality of the author. Blogs are different from websites as the content changes frequently based on when the writer publishes their post, or content. These are some of my favorite gardening blogs:

www.farmgirlfare.com

www.freshdirt.com (Sunset Magazine)

www.chanceofrain.com

www.urbangardens.com

www.accessorator.com

www.michblogging.blogspot.com

www.gardenrant.com

www.dirtdujour.com

www.ramblingLA.blogspot.com

www.thegallopinggardener.blogspot.com (garden travel)

www.whiteonricecouple.com

Otto and Sons rose nursery in Ventura County

Nursery geek — that would be me. I’m proud of it too –gave me the idea for SoCalNurseryPlants.com! Over the last year I’ve visited almost every nursery out of the 141 nurseries on my website. I plan to see them all. The list below is just for fun; feel free to contact me and add to it! Or you can add a comment  that will be seen by thousands of readers.

In no particular order, nurseries that are the:

• Oldest : As far as I can tell, that would be Mission Hills Nursery (100+ years), in the San Diego section, followed by Bellefontaine Nursery (70+ years) and San Gabriel Nursery (80+ years), both in the East Valley section.
• Most well known: Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach.
• Biggest: My guess is Simpson’s Garden Town Nursery @ 25 acres –also includes a car museum; in the San Diego section.
• Smallest: Laguna Hills Nursery, because Gary Matouska is selling out of his house: go to www.lagunahillsnursery.com.
• Most unique: Eden Topiary Nursery: mostly topiary, and M and M Nursery: miniature and railroad enthusiasts, both in the Orange County section.
• Most specialized: Otto and Sons for all things rose, in the Ventura section and Nuccio’s Nurseries for camelias and azealias (East Valley).
• Nursery with the most varieties of any one plant: Westerlay Orchids: all orchids — in the Ventura section; Upland Nursery has over 350 varieties of plumeria; in the Orange County section.
• Number of nurseries (that I have been able to locate) in each county/area: Ventura — 13, East valley– 20, West Valley — 8, Malibu — 3, Los Angeles — 16 (does not include branches of Armstrong and  Anawalt — they are counted once), South Bay — 13, Orange County — 22, San Diego County — 21.
• My favorite nursery: I’ll never tell; what’s yours? Tell me why and I’ll put it in a post!

FYI: I’m very fortunate to be an attendee and a vendor at the Pacific Horticulture Symposium September 23 — 26 at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia, CA. Titled Gardening under the Mediterranean Skies VIII: Style and Whimsey in the Sustainable Garden, this symposium is packed with informative talks, workshops and garden tours. I will be sharing my experiences and photos in the coming weeks. There is still some last minute space; if you are interested contact Susi Torre-Bueno @ (760) 295‑2173 (after 9/21 reach her at (619) 977‑0584) or go to the website @ www.Pacifichorticulture.org/education-events.

Patrick Blanc’s Marche des Halles/Avignon, France

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love vertical gardening? It makes me swoon!!!! Such a simple but brilliant concept, especially as interpreted by the French botanist Patrick Blanc (http://pingmag.jp/2006/12/08/vertical-garden-the-art-of-organic-architecture/). If you want to see an incredible “gown” made entirely from plants, go on this website. And the lovely Patrick is working on a San Francisco school installation that he plans to execute in California natives.

It is not so challenging to create a vertical garden at home if you avail yourself of WOOLLY POCKETS from Woolly Pocket Garden Company (www.Woollypocket.com). Woolly Pockets are wall hung pouches that have two main components: a breathable felt exterior, and a built-in moisture barrier  on the interior. The breathable portion is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles that have been industrially felted. The moisture barrier is made according to military standards for impermeability. The website details sizes, instructions and prices. The company has 2 major installations, both in Los Angeles, on their website: Marvimom and SmogShoppe.

As far as planting these puppies, succulents seem like the perfect solution.  Two excellent Los Angeles nursery resources for succulents are Cosentino’s Nursery in Malibu (see Malibu nurseries) and the California Cactus Center (see East Valley nurseries).

Smogshoppe installation using Woolley Pockets