Latest News: Plant Love, Give Loved Ones Space
Upcoming Events: Save the Dates!
Sustainable Tips: Love Your Parkway
Blooming Now: LA Fan Colors
Team Update: Bon Voyage JC!
Latest News: Plant Love, Give Loved Ones Space
Upcoming Events: Save the Dates!
Sustainable Tips: Love Your Parkway
Blooming Now: LA Fan Colors
Team Update: Bon Voyage JC!
We are excited by the prospect of seeing you – save the date to get out in the greenery with us!
Saturday, April 23rd: Enjoy dramatic art alongside abundant blooms in The Garden of The Setting Sun (Garden 14), and explore the lush chaparral foliage and water saving features of The Forbes Mountain Retreat on the Native Plant Garden Tour.
Sunday, April 24th: Return to the Urban Wildlife Habitat of Hilda Weiss, a semi-perennial Native Plant Garden Tour favorite.
Friday, May 21: Industry day at My Green Building Conference and Expo (MyGBCE) will explore the latest green building industry trends.
Saturday, May 22: Community day at My Green Building Conference and Expo (MyGBCE) will explore the intersection of the green building trades and community life.
Updated February 2022. By JT Wilkinson: More than money grows on trees. Love does too! The beautiful, ever-evolving heart shaped leaves of Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) can squeeze into tight spaces and expand your love for LA. The petite, blooming tree makes a great exchange for Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera).
Famed for its distinctive look – deep purple leaves and white spring blooms – Cherry Plum is often seen in parkways and patio containers. While it can squeeze into tight spaces, it may put the squeeze right back on you – and California. We consider him to be a heartbreaker, as he:
Like the Plum amplified, Western Redbud evolves in every season to recapture hearts. In winter, his delicate yet sturdy branches let the sun shine through to warm your garden. Before long, they fill with candy pink blooms. As spring brings warmth, Redbud shows his appreciation with nearly translucent, lime-colored, heart-shaped leaves. Just as you get used to this charm and start to want a little more shade, Redbud deepens the opacity and green of his leaves to cool the summer breeze.
As the year ages, Redbud’s heart shaped leaves turn golden, bright red, rust and mahogany. If you thought you loved him in spring, just wait until his red hearts flutter and fly on fall winds or catch the rain for you.
It’s easy to focus on Western Redbud’s good looks, but he is also an incredible provider. He:
If you exchange a Cherry Plum for a Western Redbud, it may be worth creating an understory to love as well. We like plants that enjoy a little shade, add texture and complement Redbud’s extraordinary shifts in color. Alumroot (left), Spreading Rush, and Beach Strawberry make great Redbud companions.
For inspiration, visit The Forbes Mountain Retreat (Garden 15) on the 2022 Native Plant Garden Tour Saturday April 23rd or the Santa Monica Conservancy’s Preservation Resource Center.