Re: Abutilon and background shrubs, and flowering attractions in S. Calif.

--- John MacGregor <jonivy@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Nan Sterman wrote:
> 
> > I have a question about abutilons for you.  I
> recall one you had
> > along the driveway in Cynthia Hall's garden that
> had rose red flowers
> > -- maybe a bit darker.  I've looked high and low
> for one with flowers
> > that color and the only one I've come across is
> Nabob from Monterey
> > Bay Growers. Is that what she has?


> > Also, what can you recommend in terms of shrubs
> for a green backdrop
> > -- about 6' high by 6' wide or maybe 5'x5'?  I
> have an area [in inland San
> Diego County] that I
> > want to "wall off" from the rest of the garden and
> am considering what
> > shrubs will work well -- full sun, moderate water,
> good draining soil.
> 
> You don't say whether "walled off" means a clipped 
> hedge or just an
> informal planting.


Nan, John and medit-plants folks,

I would also suggest Gary Hammer of Desert to Jungle
Nursery in Montebello, Ca. as an excellent source for
Abutilons, as he carries about 20 varieties or more.  
I gave Gary some cuttings of a tall growing red one
from my garden, that is less deeply red than A.
'Nabob', more of a true red, with large outfacing
flowers.  I don't have a name for it, but Gary says it
has done well for him in Los Angeles, and it thrives
here in Berkeley, never being out of bloom and growing
to 10 foot tall.  A. 'Logees Pink' is also quite
floriferous here in Berkeley, but does seem to be more
affected by winter, as it stops blooming and the
foliage is subject to snail attack in winter, but
outgrows them in warmer weather.

As to shrubs, John's list is a good one, and P. tobira
is certainly an underappreciated hedge.  Another real
winner in my mind, which also is quite showy over a
very long bloom season is Metrosideros collina 'Spring
Fire', although it may ultimately get larger than 6' x
6' with age.  Some of the hybrid phormiums would also
serve for your purposes, as would Astelia nervosa v.
chathamica.  If Leucadendrons and Leucospermums are
suitable for your area, many of the species and
cultivars would be beautiful as a screen. 
Leucodendron galpinii is a favorite of mine, and the
related Isopogons, such as I. formosus, with its showy
purple sea urchin like flowers is quite showy at the
moment.  I seem to recall that Nan is gardening in a
canyon subject to some winter freezing, so the blooms
on Proteacea shrubs might be risky if early blooming. 

Having just returned from a buying trip to L.A. and
Vista, Ca., I am again reminded how the winter lows in
your area are similar to ours, but your days are so
much warmer in winter.  This really affects the more
subtropical winter blooming things, as I saw the red
Odontonema stricta and purple O. callistachyum in full
bloom down south, and I barely get one or two blooms
on my plants.  This tempted me to purchase some winter
blooming Megaskepasma erythochlays/Brazilian Red Cloak
to try out here, which will also probably only bloom
if given a cool conservatory in winter here, but we
shall see.

Some other plants seen at the Huntington in full bloom
on this trip include winter blooming Justicia
rizzinii, very showy with  yellow and orange flowers
completely covering the small herbaceous shrub,
flowering in fairly deep shade, and hardy enough to
grow here in Berkeley, although little seen. 
Hyposestes aristata 'Purple Haze' from South Africa
was another purchase, being a much more compact and
deeper purple flower than the form I already grow. 
The Ageratum corymbosa, with its lavender typical
Ageratum flowers and purpled tinged winter foliage for
bright shade is a knockout, and also does quite well
here in the S.F. Bay Area.  Lastly, amongst all the
beautiful Aloes in bloom now at the Huntington, the
golden yellow dangling clusters of flowers on the Aloe
capitata from Madagascar, with its violet tinged
foliage was a knockout, and I chanced upon plants for
sale while in Vista, Ca.!  I hope mine will be
blooming this time next year... 

I knew I was back in northern California when we left
the 75F temps and clear sunny weather in southern
California and hit driving rains in the Bay Area. 
Returning along Highway 101 through Santa Barbara, the
hills, coast line and mountains were perfection, with
many wildflowers, vivid green hillsides, and that
special visual combination of the best of southern and
northern California.  Things like pink Tabebuia
impetiginosa and the fragrant blue Psoralea pinnata
were in full bloom, a month or so ahead of us up
north. 

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