Speaking out
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Speaking out
- From: i*@dynamite.com.au
- Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 23:31:46 +1100
Dear All
I may be in the wrong place, I feel. All I have read so far has been trees
too big for gardens, lawns, old houses, and generalisations.
>>However, in my own small plot of lawn the bane of my existence is yellow
oxalis.
Am I the only one troubled by talk of "yellow oxalis"? Is it too hard for
some correspondents to identify plants?
I have 2 oxalis spp. in my garden, O. corniculata (native), and O.
pes-caprae, and they are very different plants.
Now, just to make myself REALLY unpopular, my advice to those who consider
them (oxalis) weeds is, learn to love all plants, and to those who hate
lawns I say good, the "lawn" is a very un-mediterranean thing anyway, but
if you have to have one, why not welcome some color? Try Scilla, Tulipa,
Acinos and Helianthemum, why not?
So, in summary: LOTS of mediterranean-style plants are OBNOXIOUS. Lots
are charming. They like to grow in the same places!
I'd like to read about the fynbos flora, the labiates of Chile or some of
California's native plants (so far this year, Californians have only talked
about aliens). Does anyone else grow Cytinus? Which are the easiest
Ophrys? Which Monterrey is Pinus radiata from? Which climate zone is
Calabria?
I appreciate UC @ Davis is our host, but California is not, as far as I
know, the only place that has emailing plant lovers.
Expecting your wonderful flames soon,
Ix
