Photo - Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii)

This small tree is neither evergreen nor bears any pears.

But it is covered with small white flowers every February

 here in San Diego.  The blooms only last a month and

then the leaves comes in.  In San Diego, Evergreen Pears

can become infected with a virus known as fireblight.

Fireblight is spread by bees and causes the branches to

have a burnt look.  The key to stop the infection

from spreading all over the tree is to remove the infected branches

in the Winter before the blooms and bees arrive.

Photo by Doug Kalal

Photo - Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans)

This drought tolerant perennial blooms in the Spring and Summer.

Pride of Madeira is a large plant (8 to 10 feet wide by 4 to 6 feet tall)

 that is best suited for large open areas and moderate slopes

(under 30 degrees).

Bees are attracted to these flowers.

Photo by Doug Kalal

Photo - Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)

After pruning your Mexican Bush Sage in December, this

is what you will have to look forward to in the Spring.

Photo by Doug Kalal, taken at a client's garden in Rancho Bernardo

Photo - Mexican Bush Sage Before and After Pruning

Before Pruning

After pruning, note the new growth coming up.

Photo by Doug Kalal

Gardening Tip - Pruning Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)

      Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) is one of my favorite plants to use as a designer.  It is fast growing, drought tolerant, and a great hummingbird plant.  Mexican Bush Sage is also easy to take care of.  This Salvia only needs to be trimmed twice per year.  Once in July, when you should trim everything above your kneecaps.  I like to call this technique 'Tony Soprano'ing the plant'.  Get it?  Just whack everything off at the knees.  If you trim your plant like this you will be rewarded with lots of blooms in the Fall.
      The other time to prune Mexican Bush Sage is in December.  By the end of the year, Mexican Bush Sage starts to look scraggily.  So now you should trim the the entire plant down to the ground.  By doing this, you remove the old plant stems and allow the sun to hit the base of the plant.  This encourages new growth to burst forth.  See the photos posted above.  Also in December (or January) add 2 cups of Gro-Power Plus to the base of each plant and water it in.  Do this and you will have gorgeous purple blossoms all Spring.

Photo - Swane's Golden Italian Cypress

This slow growing shrub holds onto its golden foliage

color though to maturity.  Swane's Golden Itailan Cypress

will top out at 15 to 20 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. 

This shrub is drought tolerant and heat tolerant but it is

also not fire resistant, so care should be used.

Photo by Doug Kalal

Photo - Dolphin Water Fountain

This was my garden at the 2006 San Diego County Fair.

I used the Country Manor Keystone to make a raised bed/

seating wall.  The dolphin water fountain was used at the focal

point of the garden.  This fountain can be purchased at Backyard

X-Scapes and here is their webpage;

http://www.backyardxscapes.com/

Photo by Doug Kalal

Plant Sale at Miramar Wholesale Nursery

Miramar Wholesale Nursery is having a sale on selected items for the next 2 weeks.  Here are some of the details;

5 Gallon $5.50	5 Gallon $9.50
Rosemary   'Prostrata'   'Tuscan Blue'   Neriums   'Single Pink'   'Single Red'   'Single White'   'Petite Pink'	Olea Europea   'Majestic Beauty'   Anigozanthos   'Big Roo Orange'   'Royal Velvet'   'Regal Velvet'   'Bush Pearl'

For nursery hours and store location visit their webpage;

http://www.miramarnurseries.com/index.shtml

Photo - Canyon Stone Pavers

This is a new product available at RCP Block & Brick.

The design of these pavers allow for them to be laid

just like interlocking pavers yet still look like flagstone.

Canyon Stone Pavers cost about the same at regular pavers,

about $10-$12 per square foot installed.

Here is the webpage for both RCP and the company that makes

Canyon Stone Pavers;

http://www.rcpblock.com/index.html

http://www.riccobene.com/products/browse.php?cat=xeristone&prod=canyon%20stone

Photo by Doug Kalal

Photo - Purple Leaf Plum Tree (Prunus cerasifira)

This lovely Spring bloomer is a tough tree for that

can reach 20 feet tall.

Photo by Doug Kalal