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Your Independent Neighborhood Garden Nursery
Beautiful Plants and Inspired Designs since 1954
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Dear Friends of Anderson's La Costa, | |
Happy Summer! It has either almost arrived or already arrived, depending on how you look at it. Whatever it is, it is delightful. We hope you are enjoying the warmer days and comfortable nights and you are finding time to spend in your garden. The nursery is absolutely buzzing with so many flowering plants and trees and all of the butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees that go with them. We invite you to come in, take a stroll, and enjoy all that the start of summer brings. | |
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June Newsletter Special
20% Off
Hydrangeas
&
Edible Berries
Blueberries, Blackberries,
Raspberries & Mulberries
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In the next section, Steven has lots to share in "What's New at the Nursery," followed by June Gardening Tips. Then, Old Ben
talks about birds and their coloration.
Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! We look forward to seeing you and hope you'll stop by the nursery very soon.
Warmest regards,
Marc, Mariah, Steven, and the Team at Anderson's
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What's New at the Nursery...by Steven Froess
Hello everyone!
June is in full swing and with it summer is just around the corner. The warmest and longest days are still ahead of us. Summer is definitely a season for being outside and enjoying one of the reasons we all live here in California, the warm weather and beautiful sunshine! That includes being out in the garden as well. I find myself tending to my vegetable garden, harvesting peaches, and weeding and pruning the rest of my garden during the summer. On warmer days, I will definitely garden either early in the morning or later in the evening, or both, when the heat isn't at its peak.
Warm weather contributes to a lot of positive things, however, one negative thing is that insects become abundant. I've learned that the sooner you identify and act on them, the easier they can be to control. Becoming aware of how insect pests behave in your garden can make all the difference in choosing how to eradicate them. Aphids, for example, have soft bodies and use their mouthparts to pierce the plant, so knowing this we could conclude that contact sprays and systemic insecticides work well. Caterpillars chew on different plant parts, so insecticides that coat the leaf surface such as Spinosad (Captain Jack's) or B.T. work very well when applied correctly.
I feel it is just as important to be able to identify the good, beneficial insects. Most of us know what adult ladybugs and lacewings look like, but you may want to know what their eggs and larval stages look like because they don't look anything like the adult (see pictures below, lacewing on right). There are many types of insects and insecticides to treat non-beneficial insects so feel free to bring in some leaves (in a bag please) and we will help you identify and control whatever may be inhabiting your garden.
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Flowers, flowers, and more flowers! There seem to be more flowering plants at this time of the year than I can even fathom. If you walk into the nursery all you have to do is look in all directions. The monarch butterflies seem to be out in full force now, and we should continue to have a steady supply of Asclepias to sustain them. | |
A late shipment of David Austin roses arrived with varieties such as: 'Lady Emma Hamilton' (below left), 'Princess Alexandria of Kent' (below right), and 'Gabriel Oak' in stock. Some other notables include a new large shipment of pottery, fountains, birdbaths, benches, and statuary. | |
One of my favorite and probably one of the most fragrant flowering trees in existence is Michelia champaca 'Alba'. Olive 'Skylark dwarf' (behind the fountain in the first picture at the top of this email) are back in stock as well as Olea europaea wilsonii (below right). Brachychiton is a genus that doesn't get enough credit for how incredibly unique and hardy these trees can be. Try Brachychiton rupestris, discolor, or populneus. | |
Cercis mexicana (One of Marc's favorite, below left) has a wavy textured leaf that really stands out. Two of my favorite native trees, Quercus tomentella (Island oak) and Lyonothamnus floribundus (Island Ironwood tree, below right) make a good choice for trees adapted to this region. | |
Other notable plants include Grevillea that just won't stop blooming (Moonlight, Superb, Robyn Gordon), California natives (milkweed, Mimulus-below right, Salvias, Elderberry, Lemonade berry, and more), Ornamental grasses (Lomandra 'Platinum beauty', Dianella 'Destiny', Phormium 'Doug's warrior', 'Dark Delight', 'Black Adder'), Sunset Magazine Galliardia 'Sunset orange' and Feijoa 'Bambino' (dwarf pineapple guava). | |
We also have a great selection of seasonal vegetables and herbs, lots of beautiful water plants like lilies, lettuces, and hyacinth, as well as a fully stocked indoor plant greenhouse and a new and improved cactus & succulent section! | |
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Thanks to everyone for the compliments on how great the nursery looks. We have worked diligently on improving the overall experience for you all. We hope you enjoy it.
Don't forget Father's Day is Sunday, June 19th. Any of the plants mentioned above would make great gifts for dad, as well as selecting from our large assortment of Bonsai, or of course the ultimate gardener's gift: a gift certificate. I hope I get to see you all very soon.
Your local horticulturalist,
Steven
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We usually experience mild weather in the San Diego area in June and the temperate conditions are just right for getting plants off to a good start. Many flowers and vegetables should be planted from bedding plants this month rather than seeds because time is slipping for warm-weather plants to fully mature. Here is a brief overview of when traditional SoCal and Mediterranean-climate plants begin to bloom.
To continue reading June Gardening Tips, click here.
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N E W S L E T T E R | S P E C I A L S | |
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June Nursery Specials
20% Off
Hydrangea
&
Edible Berries
Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries & Mulberries
Offer expires June 30, 2022
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From the Desk of
Old Ben...
Birds and Colors
Did you know that birds have excellent vision and see colors extremely well, even better than humans' vision? The striking colors of birds aren't just for our viewing pleasure. Every hue, stripe and spot serves a vital purpose.
Why Birds See Color
Color is important to many bird species and they rely on color clues in their environment in several ways.
- Bright plumage colors indicate a mature, healthy bird that will be a strong mate.
- Molting to brighter colors indicates the onset of the bird breeding season.
- Colorful markings can be warnings against toxins or strong predators
- Brightly colored fruit is ripe and ready to eat
- Bright flowers are filled with nectar and will attract insects for another food source.
- Changing colors can indicate changing seasons and time for migration.
Because birds are so attuned to colors, adding the right colors to your backyard can be a creative and beautiful way to attract birds.
When we look at birds, the colors we see aren't always what they seem. Bird plumage colors are a result of either pigment or from the light reflecting off feathers. For example, bluebirds, indigo buntings and blue jays are not really blue. The color we see is the light reflecting off their brown feathers.
Fortunately for birds, some predators do not see the same bright blue reflections we do. So they remain protected. This is the same reason why a bluebird in heavy shade will not look blue. Less colorful birds, such as sparrows are marked to blend in with their habitat. Their streaks, stripes, bars, spots, and lines look so much like their surroundings that they are
almost impossible to see.
Using Color To Attract Birds
There are many ways to add both natural and artificial color sources to your backyard to attract birds. Birdscaping with colorful flowers, trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses is one of the best options. Many plants that have these bright colors will also provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for birds, making them even more useful for bird-friendly landscaping.
When choosing plants, look for the most colorful varieties. Also, look for the colors of any fruit produced by the plants or autumn changes in the foliage. If garden or flowerbeds are not available, think about adding colorful plants to large pots or window boxes.
Keeping Color In Perspective
While color can attract birds to the backyard, it is important to understand that color alone will not keep birds visiting. Use color to catch a bird's attention, but provide good food, fresh water, secure shelter, nesting sites, and bird-friendly landscaping to encourage birds to stay. Once birds find your colorful, bird-friendly yard, you will discover that their plumage adds an even more welcome touch to color the landscape.
|  | Please check out our full line of local bird seed and wild bird products at Anderson's La Costa Nursery, your North County supplier of Old Ben's Wild Birdseed. | | | | | | |
