Imagine my delight when I learned we were being transplanted to sunny California a putative paradise for a Canadian gardener. Eager to begin, I started scouting the neighbourhood to see what folks nearby were growing successfully. I was dazzled by the variety of plants, flowers, shrubs and grasses inhabiting my new local landscape. Frankly, it was a little overwhelming. I d never seen before.
Many items look suspiciously like indoor plants back home ficus, gardenias and palms, for example.
I learned that many annuals up north are perennials here. Slowly, it dawned on me that here I might be able to grow my favourite tropical plants, such as bougainvillea, jasmine, calla lilies, birds of paradise and ginger, in my very own yard. I was on my way to a gardening centre. I was happy to adapt my gardening techniques, and determined to learn all the local horticultural tricks as soon as possible. At the nursery, the resident expert laughed at me.