Warning! This post is NOT from the Big Apple.
I'm in California speaking at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, and I've spent lots of time on the streets, checking out urban horticulture in the City by the Bay. I'm sure I look like a child, marveling through my camera lens at the most casual street plantings. But the plant palette is so different here (San Fran is Zone 9), I just can't help myself.
Which would you rather see by the subway tracks: rats or poppies? It's a tough choice, I know, especially for a New Yorker, but I'm going to say poppies.
And check out the woody trunk on this prickly pear! This is a street tree that LOOKS tough enough for New York City, although I doubt it would withstand our freezing winter temperatures. True, there are perennial Opuntia (prickly pears) hardy to NYC, but I'm pretty sure this isn't one of them.
Jasmine growing up a tree in the middle of the Mission district.
Tibouchina in front of a nursing home.
And in bloom right now, all over the Bay Area is Ceanothus (aka California lilac). Blooms are generally shades of blue and purple (there's also a white variety) and bees love 'em. The fragrance resembles that of Heliotrope, i.e. intoxicatingly delicious. Sadly, most of them aren't hardy for us back in NYC, although a few less blue, less beautiful relatives are listed for zone 6. It's a new shrub for me and I hate to say goodbye. Anyone know a blue Ceanothus for zone 6?
I'm in California speaking at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, and I've spent lots of time on the streets, checking out urban horticulture in the City by the Bay. I'm sure I look like a child, marveling through my camera lens at the most casual street plantings. But the plant palette is so different here (San Fran is Zone 9), I just can't help myself.
Which would you rather see by the subway tracks: rats or poppies? It's a tough choice, I know, especially for a New Yorker, but I'm going to say poppies.
And check out the woody trunk on this prickly pear! This is a street tree that LOOKS tough enough for New York City, although I doubt it would withstand our freezing winter temperatures. True, there are perennial Opuntia (prickly pears) hardy to NYC, but I'm pretty sure this isn't one of them.
Jasmine growing up a tree in the middle of the Mission district.
Tibouchina in front of a nursing home.
And in bloom right now, all over the Bay Area is Ceanothus (aka California lilac). Blooms are generally shades of blue and purple (there's also a white variety) and bees love 'em. The fragrance resembles that of Heliotrope, i.e. intoxicatingly delicious. Sadly, most of them aren't hardy for us back in NYC, although a few less blue, less beautiful relatives are listed for zone 6. It's a new shrub for me and I hate to say goodbye. Anyone know a blue Ceanothus for zone 6?
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5 comments:
Ellen,
You probably already know this one, but Gloire de Versaille is hardy to z7 and in a protected location with perfect drainage. . .
can we say zone denial?
Enjoy!
Thanks Anonymous,
I rarely plant for Zone 7 because most of my clients are on rooftops where it's even colder and windier than at ground level. But I may have a sheltered spot in a south-facing corner where I could give it a try. It's definitely worth a shot!
LN
I live in the East Bay and share your wonder at how many plants thrive in the Bay Area. I especially like the princess tree and ceanothus.
Forestfarm claims 'Gloire de Vers.' is hardy to Z6 - and they also offer C. integerrimus - also z6 and fragrant... and a z5'er but that one's white-blooming, like the eastern native (an arguably 'kitchen garden' plant). I'm itching to convince you to order from Forestfarm, but I think hardiness zone isn't the whole story - the climate in the Bay Area is different in so many other ways - and some of the Ceanothus species are adapted to high/dry, or to lime-y, or some other darned thing we can't give 'em in NYC.
Sara,
You're probably right about cold hardiness not being the only issue but I'm still willing to give it a try...that's how taken I am with this plant. Are you hankering after something from ForestFarm? We could order together and save on shipping.
LN
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