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BOTANICALS: Bailey's acacia
Although relatively short-lived, Bailey's acacia can be a positive change to your landscape.
General: A. baileyana, commonly known as Bailey's acacia or fern leaf acacia, is a round-headed tree with a wide canopy composed of pendulous branches. It does not tolerate blustery winds or sustained below-freezing temperatures. In its habitat, the plants grow under the canopies in eucalyptus forests, where they are protected from damaging overhead and lateral winds. Because they grow in temperate climates, they need adequate soil moisture to withstand extended periods of drought or heat. Most acacias are short-lived, about 15 to 20 years.
Size: The tree grows about 30 feet tall and spreads to 40 feet wide.
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BOTANICALS: Heavenly bamboo
What makes this plant special is the color it provides in the garden during all four seasons of the year.
General: Associated with the genus Nandina, it's not a true bamboo but a member of the Berberidaceae, or barberry family. Its origins are China and Japan. The plants are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Both are needed for cross-pollination for the development of berries. They tolerate drought, cold and heat, but they prefer protection from the wind.
Size: The plant grows to about 6 feet tall.
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Seeds, a favorite collectible
Saving, swapping, and propagating seeds spreads the wealth, connecting gardeners to all four seasons.
PHILADELPHIA - This summer, there must have been a dozen patches around the tiny borough of Narberth, Pa., sporting huge sunflowers.
It was no accident. The supersize sun-lovers were grown from seeds swapped among neighbors earlier in the year at Bob and Dawn Weisbord's house, as part of the Narberth Greens Flower and Vegetable Exchange.
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Bam-boo!
Sean Bigley knows bamboo can be scary, the stuff of backyard nightmares.
Like something out of a horror movie, the world's fastest-growing plant can creep along underground and pop up uninvited, again and again and again. One little root can sprout a forest. Bamboo can swallow up space and make the rest of the backyard simply ... disappear.
"Bamboo has this reputation," Bigley says. "It can go crazy and get out of control. I'm working to change that concept of bamboo as an instant nightmare."
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Table Mountain is not just a casino
When most people think of Table Mountain, what comes to mind are crowded parking lots, slot machines and blackjack.
Which is fine for them. But for the six of us who stood Sunday atop the real Table Mountain, gazing across a lush expanse of wildflowers and blue oak woodlands, this version is infinitely superior.
You know you've seen Table Mountain, actually a series of flat volcanic mesas perched 1,000 feet above the Valley floor, overlooking Millerton Lake and the San Joaquin River drainage.
These trees are useful in problem areas such as spots that are nutrient-deficient or have poor drainage.
General: White alders (Alnus rhombifolia) are appealing for their distinctive white bark, upright shape and contrasting, deep green foliage that covers slightly weeping branches. These fast-growing trees are used as shade trees, windbreaks and background trees as well as trees to control for erosion along waterways. Alders are found where the soil is deep and constantly moist. They tolerate temperatures as low as minus-10 degrees, but they also thrive in temperate zones.
Size: 25 to 40 feet high, 40 feet wide
Flowers: The unisex flowers appear as catkins that periodically blossom throughout the year, except for winter.
Cultivation: Plant from a container. The best times to plant are fall or early spring. Select 5- to 15-gallon containers, but make sure these plants aren't root-bound. If planting in a group, space them 20 to 30 feet from the nearest structure or paved area. Never plant near leach lines. Encourage lateral root development by building a drip line and mulching the basin's surface with 2 to 3 inches of compost or humus mulch.
For optimum development, plant in full sun where the soil has adequate access to moisture and the pH is neutral (6.5 to 7.2). Because these trees are "water babies," it's almost impossible to overwater them. Watered too infrequently, the trees will stress and possibly perish.
The most efficient time to fertilize is in the early spring and fall. If your white alder is your garden's focal point and you want a standard tree form, prune for shape early. Remove all but a single trunk, and remove any branches below 4 to 5 inches.
-- Source: "California Gardener's Guide" by Bruce and Sharon Asakawa (Cool Springs Press, $24.99)
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