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Summer snowflakes grow from bulbs and produce delicate, nodding flowers. Despite their name, the plants usually bloom in winter or spring.
Photograph by Shari Kaplan
Quality differs at each garden center, nursery
By Tony Tomeo
While I would prefer to discuss the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show's Garden Party next week, I thought it important to remind those interested that the dates for this event are March 20-24 and that it is preferable to purchase tickets in advance. More information and tickets can be obtained by calling 800.829.9751 or visiting www.gardenshow.com.
Local horticultural establishments from which tickets can be obtained include Yamagami's Nursery of Cupertino; Woolworth Nurseries of Campbell, Cupertino, Mountain View and Palo Alto; Patt's Greenhouse and Los Altos Nursery of Los Altos; and Al's Nursery and Ladera Garden Center (where the intelligent, friendly Percy the cat works) of Portola Valley.
I should also mention that Los Altos Nursery, which closes for part of the winter, has been open for almost two months and is well-stocked with an impressive range of citrus, camellias and rhododendrons. Ladera Garden Center is also an indulgent horticultural experience. One should not expect much horticultural advice from Percy, however. He is, after all, a cat. Los Altos Nursery can be contacted at 650.948.1421. Ladera Garden Center's number is 650.854.3850.
Personally, I shop at the garden departments of the local home-improvement centers. I can do this because I am frugal (or stingy), and because I recognize the various degrees of quality among plant material. I would not recommend this to anyone who might be tempted to purchase something simply because it is available, without considering the quality or the seasonable appropriateness. Such establishments often market items of inferior quality or ones that are out of season.
The next-best option is a garden center. Garden Centers typically market only what is appropriate for the season. Quality is also usually reliable. However, the expertise of the staff is often somewhat limited, if available at all. The higher prices of material available from garden centers are justified by the quality and timeliness of the products.
Garden enthusiasts who want only the best products, as well as reliable horticultural advice concerning these products, shop at real nurseries. These establishments are usually staffed by actual horticulturists who are very familiar with the material being sold. Most clients consider the higher cost of plant material to be worth the horticultural expertise.
The most extreme of the nurseries are the specialty ones that limit their stock to, and consequently excel at, specific plant material. One of my favorite examples is Yerba Buena Nursery of Woodside, which specializes in California native species. I will discuss this nursery in more detail in a future column.
Most consumers know what the garden department of a home improvement warehouse store is. The more reputable nurseries and specialty nurseries are also easily identifiable. However, there may be some confusion in identifying garden centers because so many are now known as nurseries, just as Ladera Garden Center is known as a garden center rather than a nursery. (Only Percy knows why.) I unfortunately don't have a simple explanation. Such distinctions can only be made from experience.
Flower of the Week: Summer snowflake
I have been wanting to ask Percy why summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, blooms in winter or early spring rather than during summer, as the name implies. However, he is still occupied with the nursery versus garden center inquiry.
These bulbs produce leaves less than 1 foot long with a central foot-long floral spike that suspends as many as five pendulous white flowers. Each petal (sepal) exhibits a green spot near the tip. Snowflakes--sometimes called snowdrops, which is actually a different but related bulb--easily naturalize, but are difficult to eradicate if established.
They grow well with full sun exposure but are larger and more prolific in partial shade. Regular irrigation is preferred. Colonies that become too dense may be divided when dormant in late summer. Bulbs are not commonly available in nurseries, but if acquired, should be planted about 3 to 6 inches deep, in autumn.
Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
