A shorter drive...

I was feeling stir crazy and decided I "needed" a trip to a garden center this week.  I remembered reading that Flora Grubb Gardens had taken over the former Marina Del Rey Garden Center I've frequented often over the past decade, so I decided to make that my destination.  However, I didn't get out the door until almost two hours later and, even once I was on the road, I was ambivalent about taking the freeway.  I chose to bypass the freeway but, as I headed in the direction of the coastal route I prefer when going to Marina Del Rey, I abruptly decided to put off the visit to Flora Grubb Gardens in favor of another garden center, Deep Roots, half the distance away in Manhattan Beach.

Located off a very busy boulevard, Deep Roots is smaller than the Marina garden center but it's anything but ordinary in terms of its plant offerings.  In fact, I've purchased many Leucadendrons and Grevilleas there.  Prior to the pandemic, I used to pass by its location on a frequent basis but a lot changed during and after the pandemic shutdown and, for a variety of reasons, I don't drive that way nearly as often as I used to.  In fact, my records indicate I hadn't visited Deep Roots since early November 2021.

I parked in the upper lot.  These are views of the garden center from a stairway looking down at the garden center.  The 2 areas in the foreground hold stock of California natives and other drought tolerant species adapted to our Mediterranean climate.

I've been looking for a Leucospermum 'Blanche Ito' in a one or two gallon container.  I missed out on one I saw it at my local garden center several weeks ago due to dilly-dallying and I haven't come across another one since but I thought Deep Roots might be a good bet as a source.

 

They had Leucospermum 'California Sunshine' (shown here) as well as L. 'Rainbow' but I purchased the former earlier this year and the latter is too much like others I already have in color

 

Other plants that caught my eye in the area included, clockwise from the upper left: various Achilleas, an orange Arctotis, Halimum atriplicifolium, Helichrysum amorginum 'Ruby Clusters', a Diplacus (monkey flower plant) I didn't get the name of, and Tanacetum camphoratum

 

 

The most interesting plants I found on this visit were these:

 

This is Metasequoia 'Amber Glow'.  It's beautiful but I was surprised to even see this for sale in a very urban area.  The tree grows 30-40 feet tall by 10-15 feet wide.  For the record, although properties in Manhattan Beach tend to be very expensive, the lots on average are relatively dinky.

 

This was the best photo I could manage of Bursera fagaroides.  It has low water requirements and generally grows only 1-5 feet tall, making it useful as a bonsai subject.  Its leaves reportedly have a citrus odor when crushed.  The plant produces small greenish flowers.

There are 2 varieties of Digiplexis, a hybrid of Digitalis purpurea and Isoplexis canariensis (aka Canary Island foxglove).  These were very popular when first introduced but I haven't seen it often in the last few years.  I loved the plant but it was swamped by woolly aphids when I grew it.  The varieties shown here are 'Illumination Apricot' and 'Illumination Flame'.

 Deep Roots always has a nice selection of smaller plants offering seasonal color.

Lots of bright summer-ready flowers but nothing I had to have

I don't usually linger in the shade plant area but my lath house could use a few replacements for plants that didn't appreciate our colder, wetter winter and spring this year.  The Begonia luxurians (upper right) is what I hope my still small plant may look like some day.  I generally prefer white calla lilies but the brightly colored ones tugged at me a bit.

Deep Roots often has interesting succulents.

There were some succulents in 2-inch pots for $2.99, the lowest price I've seen since succulent prices soared in the past year.  The small pots of Lithops (living stones, middle row) cost a lot more.  $12.99 for a 1-gallon pot of Aeonium arboreum (bottom left) almost seemed reasonable.  Maybe I need to open a plant stand in my driveway.

 

I didn't shop the house plant section or the container collection but those areas often offer great options in both categories.  As I was waiting to check out, I noted a collection of boxes designed to hold small plants, all of which had appropriately beach-y themes.

Here's what I took home:

These were odd but spontaneous choices on my part, a Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' in a 6-inch pot and a 1-gallon pot of Fuchsia 'Windchimes White/White'.  The Fuchsia was too cute to pass up.  Hopefully I can keep both alive and healthy through the summer months.  As Deep Roots honored my old, fully-punched discount card, I got $10 off so my purchase felt like a gift.

 I'll visit Deep Roots again, perhaps on my way home from Flora Grubbs Gardens when I eventually get there.

 May Gray has been followed by June Gloom here.  I've taken advantage of the cool temperatures to clean up after the early spring bloomers to ready the garden for summer flowers that appear ready to move in regardless of the prevailing temperatures.

 As always, best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Before the Christmas tree takeover...

In late November, just before Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US, Christmas trees are trucked into some of my favorite garden centers in large numbers.  In many cases, that means that wide areas are cleared of garden plants for the duration of the holiday season to make room.  Although few if any nurseries or garden centers in my part of the country close during the winter months, the plant selection available in December and January can be very limited.  As the cool period leading into our short winter rainy season is generally the best time of the year to plant, this is frustrating to say the least.

I decided to get as much plant shopping done in the next few weeks as possible to spare myself that frustration.  I visited two of my favorite nurseries to the the north in early October with a friend.  This week I targeted Deep Roots, a garden center in Manhattan Beach, about half an hour away from my home.  I used to drop in there regularly after lunch with friends but, for a variety of reasons, I haven't visited since early in 2019.  I'd almost forgotten how much I appreciated their selection of plants.

With apologies for the quality of the photos, which were taken with my soon-to-be-retired 3G phone, here are some photos to give you an idea of what attracted my attention:

This is variegated Agapanthus 'Gold Strike'.  According to the tag, the compact plants produce picotee blue and bluish-white flowers.

Banksia ericfolia 'Compact Form' still gets too big to find a place in my garden

I already have one Correa 'Ivory Bells' in my garden but I was tempted to get another

This is a variegated Fuchsia thymifolia

I've no idea what this is.  I didn't see labels on any of the plants and I never got around to asking.  It made me think of a restio but I couldn't find anything like it online.  A commentator identified this as Pennisetum glaucus 'Jade Princess'

This is the first "red" Plectranthus (P. hilliardiae) I've ever seen

A noID bromeliad, a Vriesea I assume, with a price that was just a little too much for me

Lots of choices among Tillandsias, a few with developing blooms

This Yucca 'Bright Star' had a short trunk, making me wonder if I should have left mine alone instead of cutting it to the ground

I was tempted by some of the plants shown above but most were in large pots and were priced to reflect that.   I checked the sale tables for smaller plants.

Lots of plants in one-gallon and 4-inch pots but nothing I had to have

In light of our ongoing drought, it's probably not surprising that I focused on the succulent selection.

The succulents occupy a large portion of the north side of the garden center

Left to right: Furcraea sellowa var marginata, F. foetida 'Variegata', and a mix of Mangaves

Clockwise from the upper left: Agave potatorum 'Kichiokan', Aloe maculata, a variety of small Aloes and Haworthia, what I believe is Pilosocereus azureus, and a plant that might be Rhipsalis.  Many plants were unlabeled.

When I went to check out, I was told that all the outdoor plants were 50% off!  I'm still not sure why I didn't go back and gather a few of those plants in the big pots but maybe I'll find time to swing by again before everything's tucked away to make room for the Christmas trees.

I bought the Pilosocereus, 3 Aloe 'Moondance', Haworthia 'Savanna', H. limifolia (aka fairy's washboard), and 2 noID Crassulas

The Aloe 'Moondance' and the Crassulas went into the area I replanted with Aloe 'Moonglow' last week.  I'm considering a couple of different spots for the Pilosocereus.

On the way home, I swung by another garden center in Redondo Beach, close to my former home, but I found it's now open on a limited schedule so that was a bust.  However, yesterday I met a friend for lunch and decided that a quick stop by Elwood Nursery across the street was in order, since I don't think I've visited there since early in 2020.

I brought home a few things but this Cyclamen 'Djix' with its distinctive flowers was the most interesting

On my way home, I also dropped in at Armstrong Garden Center in Torrance to pick up a special order I'd placed for two flats of creeping thyme.  I've visited this store regularly throughout the pandemic but, whenever I visit, I feel it necessary to stroll all the aisles to see if there's anything new I "need."  In addition to my 'Elfin' thyme, I brought home a few other things, including these:

I've long complained that our garden centers never get in any interesting Chrysanthemums.  This C. indicum 'Rainbow Circus' broke that trend.

I'd eyed Didelta 'Silver Strand' at Seaside Gardens last month but forgot to pick it up on my way to check out so I couldn't pass this one up.  One online source claims the succulent subshrub is "indestructible" in the face of summer heat.

It looks like I'll be plenty busy this weekend!  I hope you enjoy your weekend too.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

Deep Roots Garden Center

On a recent visit to Deep Roots Garden Center in Manhattan Beach, I was surprised to realize that I'd never written a post about it.  When it opened, I lived in one of the nearby beach cities but not long afterwards we moved to our current house, roughly 15 miles to the south, so I don't have an opportunity to drop in regularly.  However, the garden center specializes in water-wise plants and, as I'm currently on the hunt for more drought-tolerant selections, I swung by there twice recently, once with my camera in tow.

The garden center sits on a relatively small plot on Sepulveda Boulevard, surrounded by retail businesses on 3 sides and homes in the rear.  The staff makes maximum use of the space they have available.

The parking lot doubles as storage for fruit trees, like this Guava tree, and bedding plants

Entryway to the garden center's main area

There are lots of succulents, although some of the most interesting are available only in large containers at hefty prices.

I loved this Aloe greenii 'Icena,' seated next to a Beschorneria yuccoides

There were lots of small succulents

And some very big ones, like the Furcraea and Agave 'Blue Glow' here

I couldn't find the ID for this Agave but I liked the bright spines

This Aloe camperi 'Jennifer' was new to me

I think a spiral Aloe may go on my Christmas wish list

Dyckia 'Naked Lady' isn't as spiky as those I have but it was attractive

If I knew where to put this Synadenium grantii, a relative of the Euphorbia, it might have come home with me

Beyond the succulents, there are shade plants.

Maybe it was the red background but I fell for this Begonia 'Paul Hernandez,' which grows 4-6 feet tall but, with nowhere to put it, it was left behind

Unfortunately, Cordyline 'Caruba Black,' shown here with Persian Shield, requires lots of water

Perennials can be found lined up at the other end of the garden center.

I'm trying to think of a place for this purple smoke bush

Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame' looks great in front of a red wall

Edible and water-wise plants are a few steps up and toward the back of the property.  I came in looking for Leucadendron 'Jester,' which they had but only in large pots.

The Leucadendron collection

A variety of drought tolerant plants arranged around a huge driftwood centerpiece

I came home with a Grevillea 'Ned Kelly,' a Vitex agnus-castus, and 2 Pentas lanceolata.  As a bonus, I got a good picture of a Gulf Fritillary.

All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party