Garden Alphabet: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Garden Alphabet: Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

I am not a big fan of apricots myself. I find their flavor a little off-putting, but I know many people who adore them. It seems that apricot was a popular backyard tree when our development was built back in the 40’s, as there are many, quite old, apricot trees scattered about. These flowers come from 2 neighborhood trees I saw on my regular walk. Our own apricot expired about 5 years after we bought this house.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

An apricot is a fruit or the tree that bears the fruit. Usually, an apricot tree is from the tree species Prunus armeniaca, but the species Prunus brigantina, Prunus mandshurica, Prunus mume, and Prunus sibirica are closely related, have similar fruit, and are also called apricots.^[1]

The apricot is a small tree, 8–12 m (26–39 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The leaves are ovate, 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in) long and 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip and a finely serrated margin. The flowers are 2–4.5 cm (0.8–1.8 in) in diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The fruit is a drupe similar to a small peach, 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1.0 in) diameter (larger in some modern cultivars), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface can be smooth (botanically described as: glabrous) or velvety with very short hairs (botanically: pubescent). The flesh is usually firm and not very juicy. Its taste can range from sweet to tart. The single seed is enclosed in a hard, stony shell, often called a “stone”, with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.^[2]^{[3] — Wikipedia}

More information on Apricot (Prunus armeniaca):

Previously in Garden Alphabet:

Event: Camellia Festival at Descanso Gardens – Feb 8 & 9, 2014

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Information from ExperienceLA Newsletter

Camellia Festival at Descanso Gardens

larger view

When:	Upcoming Date/Time(s): Date: February 8, 2014 Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Date: February 9, 2014 Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Email this Event Add a Reminder Download to Outlook/PDA Print
Where:	Descanso Gardens (San Gabriel Valley) 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge,91011, Metro Trip Planner Driving Directions
Cross Streets:	Verdugo Boulevard / Descanso Drive
Admission:	Activities free with admission unless noted.Buy Tickets
Phone:	(818) 949-4200
More info:	http://www.descansogardens.org/calendar/…

Description

Celebrate the camellia, which brightens gray winter days with its colorful blossoms. Activities free with admission unless noted.

FAIRY TOURS OF THE ENCHANTED FOREST
Both days | 9:30am-noon | Magnolia Lawn
The forest sprites from A Faery Hunt once again lead tours of the Camellia Collection for young and old. Tours are about 20 minutes long. First come, first served.

TEA TIME WITH CHADO TEA
Both days | 10am-2pm | Center Circle
Learn all about tea (Camellia sinensis) from the experts at Chado Tea of Pasadena. They will provide tea tastings, offer information and sell select teas. At 11:30am both days, Jordan Essey from Chado will discuss the origin of tea, how it is processed and categorized in Van de Kamp.

CAMELLIA WALK & TALK
Both days | 10:30am, noon & 1:30pm | Center Circle
Take a guided walk of the Descanso collection and get expert advice on caring for these beautiful plants.

CAMELLIAS: QUEEN OF THE WINTER GARDEN
Saturday only | 1pm | Van de Kamp
Brad King of the Southern California Camellia Society will share information about camellia cultivation, care and the Descanso collection.

TEA CEREMONY
Sunday only | 11am & 2pm | Minka
Share in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Tickets go on sale Jan. 10 at ticketweb.com. $15. Advance ticket required.

Information: (818) 949-7980.

Food Services:	Cafe Descanso
Kids Friendly:	Fairy Tours of the Enchanted Forest
Accessibility:	Yes
Submitted By:	Descanso Gardens
Tags:	Festive Celebrations, Outdoor, Kids Friendly, Wheel chair access

Garden Decor: 30 Amazing Downspout Ideas

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

30 Amazing Downspout Ideas

There are some lovely and creative downpour ideas in this article fro LushHomes.com.

Discovered via Pinterest User Lori Scott

More Downspout Info from Amazon.com

Previously in Garden Decor:

Photos: In the neighborhood…Apricot Blossoms in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, CA

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Apricot blossoms seen on my neighborhood walk today.

Free Camellia Computer and Smartphone Wallpapers for January 2014

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Here is a selection of free wallpapers for your computer desktop or smartphone. Right-click and select Save Image As… to download them to your own computer. On your smartphone, click the image to see the full-sized image, tap and hold, then select Save to Camera Roll. You can then attach the wallpapers using your phone’s preferences.

Desktop | iPad | iPhone 4 | iPhone 5

Photo: Camellia from A Gardener’s Notebook via Instagram

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Photo posted via Instagram

Garden Alphabet: Primula (Primrose)

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

Garden Alphabet: Primula (Primrose)

These may be small plants and flowers, but their striking colors make them stand out wherever they bloom. Along with these blue and yellow primula, the owners had also planted some bright yellow ones that really caught the eye. I liked the color combination best on this one, even if the blooms were a bit beyond their prime.

Primula

Primula /ˈprɪmjʊlə/^[1] is a genus of mainly herbaceous^[2] flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. They include the familiar wildflower of banks and verges, the primrose (P. vulgaris). Other common species are P. auricula (auricula), P. veris(cowslip) and P. elatior (oxlip). These species and many others are valued for their ornamental flowers. They have been extensively cultivated and hybridised – in the case of the primrose, for many hundreds of years. Primulas are native to thetemperate northern hemisphere, south into tropical mountains in Ethiopia, Indonesia and New Guinea, and in temperate southern South America. Almost half of the known species are from the Himalayas.^[2]

Genus Primula has about 500 species in traditional treatments, and more if certain related genera are included within its circumscription.^[3]

Primula is a complex and varied genus, with a range of habitats from alpine slopes to boggy meadows. Plants bloom mostly during the spring, with flowers often appearing in spherical umbels on stout stems arising from basal rosettes of leaves; their flowers can be purple, yellow, red, pink, blue, or white. Some species show a white mealy bloom (farina) on various parts of the plant.^[2] Many species are adapted to alpine climates. — Wikipedia

More information on Primula:

Previously in Garden Alphabet:

In the neighborhood: Japanese Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii)

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Douglas E. Welch

These Japanese Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii) are popular street trees in Los Angeles. I notice on my walk today that those along Van Nuys Blvd were beginning their yearly bloom. They don’t produce any fruit, but when the petals fall in a stiff breeze it almost looks like it is snowing — which is really odd when it is 80 degrees outside.

From Monrovia.com…

Prized flowering tree in mild climates. One of the key attributes is its glossy evergreen foliage. Also makes an excellent espalier for training on walls. May be briefly deciduous in coldest winters.