The Color Dictionary of Flowers & Plants

I'm always on the lookout for great plant reference books. The Color Dictionary of Flowers and Plants for Home and Garden came to me by way of my folks, who have used it to help plan their Southeast Alaskan garden. The reference is by Roy Hay and Patrick M. Synge, and was published in collaboration with The Royal Horticulture Society (Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1990, with editions stretching back to 1969). George Kalmbacher, a taxonomist with Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, was the American consultant. For its compact size, the book is packed with plant information and 2048 color plates.

The Introduction sets the stage for the book, which is organized around six plant categories: Alpine and Rock Garden, Annual and Biennial plants, Greenhouse and House plants, Hardy bulb plants, Perennial plants, and Trees and Shrubs. Cultural notes are provided for each category, as well as information about the feat of photographing the plants over an 18 month period. The Plates section provides photos of the 2048 specimens. The plates are organized by the categories mentioned, and each plate is identified by its scientific name and a number. Each photo is just under 2.5 inches square, but photographed in a way that shows flowers and foliage, plant forms, and the growing habit in the landscape. The Dictionary section provides a description of each plant, presented in alphabetical order. Scientific names are used, but common names are also provided with a reference to the scientific name (such as "Tree Poppy, see Romneya, 1837"). Each description also includes its color plate number.

I've already started scouring the plates and descriptions for good candidates for our garden renovation. I notice that quite a few plants are cultivars, so they have been bred for garden conditions and should be widely available in the trade. It's surprising how many familiar California plants are included, such as Ceanothus (California lilac, 1500); Iris douglasiana, 93; Clarkia, 269; Juniper, 2015; Crataegus (Hawthorn, 1543); Mimulus (Monkey flower, 110); and Eschscholzia (California poppy, 294) to name a few. Another treat for me is coming across pencil marks by Mom - such as those for Narcissus pseudonaricissus, 838 (its cheerful yellow buds pushing up through the snow were a sign of hope that the Alaskan winter would soon end). This is a wonderful, well organized reference manual to include in your botanical library.

Birthday Flowers: Violets

This year we're delving into birthday flowers, to learn about the flowers that are associated with the month in which a person was born. Floriography, or communication through flowers, is a fun aspect of birthday flowers.

February - Violets

For February, birthday flowers include violets and primroses, which symbolize Modesty, Faithfulness, Young Love, Everlasting Love, Innocence and Remembrance. Violets bloom in shades of purple, as well as blue, yellow, white, cream and bicolored (the photo above shows bicolored violets in pale yellow and violet). The color of the flower can also send a message, such as:

• Yellow - high worth
• White - innocence and purity
• Purple - truth and loyalty
• Blue - faithfulness and devotion

Most violets are edible and can be added to salads or used to flavor vinegar and syrup. They can also be candied and used to decorate cakes, chocolate candies, and ice cream. Violets are used medicinally for respiratory ailments, coughs, and as a mild pain reliever. Violets are a lovely addition to a woodland garden. Although they are not drought or heat tolerant, they bloom early enough that they can take advantage of the winter rains here in the San Francisco Bay Area. For a thoughtful gift, tuck some violet starter packs in a small basket and add a decorative ribbon.

Landscaping: Site Survey

A year ago we met with a local landscaping firm that specializes in drought tolerant, native plant, and wildlife friendly gardens here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We liked how they listened to our ideas, and liked their design proposals and solutions for the challenges posed by our property. See Landscaping Site Visit for a recap.

Entry: curved path from the street to the front porch

The firm had quite a backlog, due to the pandemic and a boom in their business. Apparently a lot of people who were stuck at home realized they'd like to have their yards renovated! We joined their wait-list, and were given the assignment to arrange for a site survey. We had an old paper site survey from the original owners (very cool from an historical perspective), but wanted an updated, digital version. 

Front yard: patio, sloped aspect, and oak tree

We worked with a local survey company that was recommended to us. They were also busy with a large backlog, so we had to wait several months for the site survey and then the results. It was worth the wait. We received print and digital versions of the survey. The detail is amazing and will help us distinguish between what is actually our property and what are easements used by various utilities.

Back yard: the dense vegetation that forms a barrier, and raised bed

I've included a few screenshots from the site survey - the entrance, the front yard and patio area, and the back yard. We don't have survey markers, but everything is measured from the house out to the property boundary. The boundary is shown as a thick dark line on the site survey, and matches the legal description of our property. Anything outside the boundary is an easement (but in some cases, fair game for planting)! It's been a long, slow haul, but we're in a good position for the next step - planning the landscape!

Chilly Walk on the Iron Horse Trail

It's been a treat to be back at work in San Ramon a couple of days a week. It has given me a chance to rediscover some of my favorite haunts and shops in San Ramon, and to take some of my favorite walks. Hikes around Lake Bishop have resumed, enabling me to see the trees and plants go through their seasonal cycles and to observe all the herons, ducks, and geese that touch down during migration.

Mistletoe on a winter-bare oak 

Recently, I ventured out on the Iron Horse trail, for a short hike. Lots of long afternoon shadows. Lots of green grass from winter rains. And cold. It was 50 degrees F. in the sun (I know, that's nothing for my tough northern relatives)! But the sky was blue and clear, and walking quickly kept me warm. It was an exhilarating way to celebrate life!