Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

The Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens is a botanic garden dedicated to California native plants. If you love nature, gardening and plants, this is a must see garden for native California plants. The garden contains thousands of native species and cultivars.

The garden is located in Claremont, California in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It is about 60 from downtown Los Angeles, take the 10 or 210 freeways going east.

At 84 acres, this is a smaller garden compared the other Southern California gardens like the Descanso Gardens,  Huntington Gardens and the and LA County Arboretm. Although it is smaller in size, the amount of native California plants are enormous. The garden is dedicated to preserving native plants. It has an active research department which specializes in systemic botany and floristic. Combined with the herbarium of the neighboring Pomona College, it has millions of specimens.

The landscaping is done to showcase the natural habitat of the native plants. Plants are categorized according to the plant's ecosystem. Unlike typical gardens, it has no big areas with lawns and landscaping. It has very minimal human influence, it doesn't look artificial like most gardens. The plants are the attractions, not the view. Hardscapes including administrative buildings are few.

To the untrained gardener, the botanic garden may look like a jungle of unmaintained plants and trees. Trees are not pruned and are made to  grow naturally. Palm trees are allowed to keep their skirt of brown and dried fronds.

Although it is a non-profit organization, the garden requires a modest entrance fee. Like most gardens, it is best to visit in the spring and fall.
This garden is definitely worth seeing for gardeners, nature and plant lovers.

 

Peony

Peonies do not thrive very well in the Southern California climate. There are three classifications of Peony, Herbaceus, Tree and Intersectional otherwise known as Itoh Peony.

I bought a Harbaceus Peony at Armstrong Garden Center almost 8 years ago but it has not yet produced a flower until this year. It dies back every winter but grows back back year after year in early spring but has not produced any flower. It only has one eye when I planted it 8 years ago and it became bigger and healthier every year it grows back.

I still don't know what the color at this time as it is still a bud as of now.

Last February I bought one at Mt. Fuji Garden Centers. This one is already potted and a few stem are growing when I bought it. It bloomed around April and continues to have flowers as of early May. The flower is semi-double and butter-yellow in color.
 

 
Peony needs the deep cold of winter for it to bloom but they do sometime thrive in milder climates

Mt. Fuji Garden Center

Mt. Fuji Garden Center in Upland, San Bernardino County is a garden center specializing in the finest quality plant material and garden ornaments.

Mt. Fuji Garden Center is for serious gardeners. They have great selection of plants that cannot be found in big box home centers like Home Depot or Lowes. They have plants that cannot be found at these big box stores.

They have great selection for fruit trees, California native plants, bonsai, heritage vegetables (heirloom tomatoes) and other specialty plants.

The prices are a little higher than big box stores but you can get solid advice and tips from the staff. It is hard to get this service from the big box stores.

The place looks run down but serious gardeners are not for the store looks. They patronize this kind of nurseries because of the plant selections and service they offer. They carry hard to find plant species.

For my visit, I bought a peony. Other than ordering on-line or thru a catalog, where in Southern California can you buy a peony? I hope it will bloom in the Southern California weather.

If you are a serious gardener and love gardening, this place is for you.

Address: 1555 W. Foothill, Upland, CA 91786.

Their website is www.mtfujigardencenter.com.http://www.mtfujigardencenter.com/

Armstrong Garden Centers

Armstrong Garden Centers is a nursery based in Southern California. The nursery is well known for its roses and other ornamental plants, fruit trees, and outdoor furniture. Most of its stores are in Southern California and some in Northern California.

Armstrong Garden is not your typical big box nursery. Their prices are more expensive but they sell only quality plants and the service is exceptional. There’s always somebody to help and answer questions.

All the plants they sell are top quality. They guarantee that the plants they are selling will thrive, if not you can return it. They have very good selection of good healthy plants. You can tell their bedding plants are always fresh; there are no roots coming out at the bottom of containers.

Pottery selections are extensive and they come in all sizes and shape. They are more expensive than big box stores but like their plants, the quality is also exceptional.

I have shopped at several of their nurseries and all of the stores are in top condition and very well maintained. I have yet to meet an employee that is not nice. All of them are nice, patient and ready to help. They have very solid customer service. Another service they offer is delivery.

Armstrong garden is the best garden center in the Southland.

Their website is www.armstronggarden.com

Welcome To Southern California Gardening

Welcome to Southern California Gardening.

Southern California has a unique climate not found in many parts of the world. The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean climate which is very suitable for gardening. Summer in Southern California is not very hot and winter is not extremely cold.

The coastal part of Southern California is suitable for cooler weather plants. It has mild temperature climate with coastal fogs during summer and moderate temperatures all year long.

The inland valleys are suitable for plants that thrive in hotter and drier climate. The inland areas are subject to desert influences of the Mojave desert. Summer temperatures are hot and dry and winter temperature is often freezing.

The region has low rain fall making the soil high in minerals and slightly alkaline. Watering plants during summer is necessary.

I bought a house in the Inland Empire almost 10 years ago with a good size yard and I have been gardening since. Planted roses, bulbs some trees and a small vegetable patch.

Pesticide and synthetic fertilizers are never used in my garden; I do not believe in pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. These are not good for the environment, health and pets.