Catching up on Lost time.

So my parent's yard when I got there 2 years ago seemed almost like a lost cause. 150 avocado trees, dead lawn, ugly queen palms, 20 various fruit trees and more dead lawn and about 5 half dead rose bushes as "colour" for the front. It was pretty embarrassing to tell people "Im a landscape horticulturalist" and for them to see "lack of horticulture" pulling up to the house.

The beginning of " Its too late to turn around."

as of mid march

The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic,
always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward
to doing something better than they have ever done before.

~ Vita Sackville-West

Personally gardening comes first before Landscape design. For me it is about trying new or uncommon varieties or species. Trying something and examining how plants do in certain situations is the best way to learn and figure out what works and what doesn't

sneak peak of the back.

Fast forward 2 years and Im guessing most people would think the yard as a horticultural explosion of a mess. Ill be the first to admit, I am a collector. Working in the Nursery industry, I want to get and try many different plants that comes in. Which usually makes a yard come out looking kind of like a patch work quilt made from random tie dye shirts. I tried various plant combos so there are little vignettes with certain plant combinations that read great together but then as a whole, they get lost. Right now the yard is making a progression of green and gold blending into silvers..... I realize that too much Silver can wash things out and too much gold can make the eyes do crazy things. Who doesn't like silver and gold?

Old and the New and a bit of history.

So I haven't really been keeping up with my blogs but thanks to my friend Jonathan its all about to change.

Ive been here in San Diego for just about 2 years. Most people would probably think, "Wow California, you can grow anything and everything!" and for the most part, it is true.

Southern California runs a wide range of horticultural/hardiness zones(8-10)

A relatively mild climate. The closer to the ocean the more even keeled and cooler the climate. The further east towards the desert, the dryer and hotter it gets in the summer and in the winter often hits below freezing.

This mild climate DOES allows for a multitude of plant varieties to be grown here. Plants in California, over a period of thousands of years have adapted to yearly climate cycles. Winter rains followed by mild springs and extremely dry often hot rainless summers until cooler foggy autumns are followed by winter rains again. Coastal scrub, Chaparral, and inland woodlands have evolved around drought. After the rains, many plants bloom and put on ALOT of growth leading up to the summer. Then as the summer drags on with no rain, growth slows and often leaves and other parts get smaller in response to decreased moisture. Other plants often die back to main stems, in the way a perennial does in the winter. Depending on how the year has gone this can last for many months until the rains come and the cycles starts over again.

Mid may Julian CA.

For many of the western states water is an issue. Make that a Large ISSUE, water is scarce. Water sources are scarce as well, with only a handful of rivers available to feed large urban populations and an even greater agricultural needs. This wouldn't be so bad if there was reliable summer rain. But given the ecological history of the region most introduced plants need weekly waterings and often even the "Native" varieties do as well.

Ive definitely learned that just cause you CAN grow something, doesn't mean you should. California you can can grow everything..... But, many people will find that it often takes alot more than just sticking the plant into the ground and watering.