The past months have been very cold here in California. We were so grateful December for the rainfall after such a very long period of dry weather. Since then, it has been cold, extremely cold. On Saturday and Sunday, we had our first heavy snowfall of the year. This morning as well, we had some light snowfall.
California is colder than usual at this time of year, and it appears that Mother Nature is done with us. Still, we are grateful for every bit of rain we get.
Backyard in a blanket of snow.
Plants and trees were covered in snow, and as a result, we had a few broken branches.
Plants covered icicles and snow.
Sculptures and yard decorations alike were covered in snow; it wasn’t until the following morning that we all stepped out to clear the driveway and let the kids build a snowman.
Sculptures & Decorations covered in Snow.
Indeed, snowfall makes everything it touches and covers look beautiful, and brightens the World. The flip sides to this beauty can be quite damaging and devastating: road closure due to massive flooding, debris, cracks, fallen trees, fallen electric poles, mudslides, rockslides, erosion, etc.
As I anticipate the arrival of Spring, I wish everyone a warm and safe Winter.
The High Desert weather will never cease to surprise me.
Last month for instance, it rained lightly in some parts of Victorville, CA, and not a drop of rain in adjacent cities. An unexpected cloudburst on Sunday afternoon left some areas in the High Desert flooded with just an hour of heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Sunday’s Cloudburst.
My miniature hybrid ‘French Lace’ rose, with their delicate ivory buds and slight apricot tint is still producing pink roses. From my research, it turns out that the one I purchased over ten years ago was grafted onto a vigorous rootstock and canes from this rootstock are now overtaking the hybrid grafted onto it (pink roses). To save my ‘French Lace” roses, I will have to locate the graft and then remove any canes or suckers developing at the base so they do not take over.
Miniature Rose ‘French Lace’.Grafted Bareroot Rose. Image Source: Jackson & Perkins.
Dahlia ‘Bishop of York’ is putting out beautiful flowers.
Dahlia ‘Bishop of York’.
Last night as well, we had an unexpected cloudburst. The short and severe storm brought thunder, heavy rain and lightning. Every raindrop is always welcomed in California, as we find ourselves heading into a severe drought.
It’s hot, it’s scorching hot! It’s a huge relief to know that we have had less brush fires since the start of Summer, and I hope it stays this way. What we really need now is a good rainfall. It rained last night; it rained for less than five minutes, but it rained hard. The downside of Summer showers is the intense heat the next day; but still, a good rainfall is always welcomed.
We visited a few places these past months. We let the kids loose at Knott’s Berry Farm, we enjoyed a peaceful walk at the California Botanic Gardens, we went to a couple of Lakes, and we are planning to have some fun at the Disney California Adventure Park this Fall, when the weather cools down.
I didn’t know how much Gophers love the Gopher plants, until I lost a few in the backyard; I lost everything from the side next to the fence, I lost one plant in the front yard and started seeing holes around the other plants in the front yard. The fix was simple at that point: I got rid of the remainder of the Gopher plants. They came looking once and haven’t disturbed my garden since. What I have learned fighting rodents for the past fifteen years is that they end up winning when they set their eyes and incisors on something.
Most of the succulents are blooming …
Succulents bloom.
I also got rid of all the Salvia Greggii around the Horsetail Reed growing in barrels and my husband spray painted all four barrels white. I got rid of all the Creeping Myrtle planted in the ground, and left the potted one untouched. I think having less plants in the front yard will make it a little easier to maintain the garden.
It’s hard to believe that today is officially the last day of Spring 2022 and that tomorrow will be the start of a new season. Temperatures have been soaring for the past couple of weeks, giving the impression that we are in mid-summer. Either way, I am grateful for the ending season and looking forward to the upcoming one as well as what Mother Nature has in store for us.
Rather than gardening, I am just making sure that all the plants and living things have enough water to keep them going. More plants have graced us with their beautiful and vibrant flowers, like the Allium Drumstick below.
Allium Drumstick.
I love the delicate lavender-purple flowers of Russian Sage and its fragrant foliage.
Russian Sage (Salvia Yangii) in bloom.
‘Madame Galen’ Trumpet Vines are rapidly spreading, climbing, and attaching themselves on whatever their stems touch. Hummingbirds love the trumpet-shaped flowers.
‘Madame Galen’ Trumpet Vine Flowers.
Clusters of small creamy white flowers appeared at the end of the stems of my Heavenly Bamboo. As gorgeous and drought tolerant as this ornamental shrub is, all parts of the plant are toxic.
Nandina Domestica (Heavenly Bamboo) in bloom.
We were pleasantly surprise to see tiny buds of Corsican Stonecrop, and a beautiful star shaped flower.
Corsican Stonecrop flower.
Days like these I am very grateful that, except for the potted plants in the front porch and those in the patio, every other plant is fitted with drip irrigation (once in a while I have to check the drip emitters and make sure that they aren’t clogged or damaged). I hand water the potted plants twice daily: very early in the morning and early in the evening, and water the shrubs deeply once a week. Doing so keeps the plants hydrated and I avoid being outdoors during the hottest part of the day.
A couple of months a ago, we purchased a few Lavender trees from Lowe’s. Every now and then I will find a freebie in the pot while transplanting the plant, and this time wasn’t different. I found a tiny seedling with large bluish-green leaves at the base of the Lavender plant and decided to let it be and see what it grows into (I am not fond of plants with large leaves, unless it’s a Magnolia plant). Today I found out that the plant is the seedling of Nicotiana Glauca. Though non-native to California, it is classified as invasive here.
Nicotiana Glauca, also known as Mustard tree, tobacco bush, tobacco plant, tobacco tree, tree tobacco, or wild tobacco is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to South America. The plant can grow up to twenty (20) feet and is short-lived. It is used as an insecticide and smoked as a stimulant by smoking the plant or chewing it. This plant contains the toxic alkaloid nicotine, and can cause blood pressure, cancer, peptic ulcers, tremors, joint pain, anxiety, depression, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, headaches, respiratory failure, etc … and death.
According to Tropical.theferns.info (Useful Tropical Plants Database), Nicotiana Glauca has a variety of medicinal uses such as:
– Applying a poultice of the leaves to cuts, bruises, swellings and other wounds.
– Applying a poultice of the leaves to remove the pus from scrofulous sores or boils.
– Using an infusion of the leaves as a steam bath in the treatment of rheumatism.
– Applying warmed leaves to the head relieves headaches, on the throat to relieve pain and put in shoes for painful feet.
Though ornamental, the plant is said to pose a threat to biodiversity by competing with native species for resources and displacing native plants. The plant is propagated by seeds and flowers emerge around one year after germination . It is said that in its native range, Nicotiana Glauca is pollinated exclusively by hummingbirds. All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Nicotiana Glauca seedling.
Given the information I obtained about this plant, I know I should get rid of it. However, given the fact that I have never seen a Tobacco tree (and out of curiosity), I will keep it for a year, just until the first flowers emerge. I will relocate the seeding this weekend to the end of my property and watch it grow from a distance, until it’s time to bid it farewell.
By JM Perez
