Plant of the Moment: Red Bird of Paradise or Poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima). The forecourt is a blaze of color as this West Indies native comes into bloom! The Red Bird of Paradise so impressed the 17th-century Spanish explorers when they saw it in bloom that they imported it to Europe, where it has been gracing[…]
August Garden News
By Christa Weston Gardens, Visitor Information Aug 02, 2021
July Garden News
By Christa Weston Gardens Jul 01, 2021
A big thank you to eight devoted Rancho Los Cerritos volunteers who showed up on the hottest day of the year thus far to toil in the garden! It takes many hands to keep the site maintained for our community to enjoy, but this was an especially amazing group of people! If you are interested[…]
May Garden News
By Christa Weston Gardens May 02, 2021
Plant of the Moment: Romneya (Matilija Poppy). They are scattered throughout the California native garden, the flowers of this perennial started to pop up in mid-April. They are primarily native to Ojai, with scattered populations found as far south as Baja California. The Matilija poppy’s preferred habitats are dry washes and canyons where its underground[…]
April Garden Updates
By Christa Weston Gardens, Visitor Information Apr 01, 2021
Plant of the Moment: the Wisteria sinensis. The Wisteria, which is native to the eastern half of China, is blooming and just about at its peak. So, if you have not been to the Rancho yet this spring, now is the time to schedule a visit. There is an abundance of blooms around the site,[…]
March Garden News
By Christa Weston Events, Gardens, Upcoming Events, Visitor Information Mar 03, 2021
Plant of the Moment: Ceanothus ‘Concha.’ It is Ceanothus season at RLC! One of California’s most beloved native shrubs, RLC’s Ceanothus are a hybrid varietal with fragrant dark blue flowers. The flowers are as attractive to bees as they are to people, so “bee aware” before you sniff! Our Ceanothus shrubs can be found near[…]
February Garden News
By Christa Weston Gardens, Uncategorized Feb 10, 2021
Plant of the Moment: Viola odorata (Sweet Violet). Native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, this violet’s bright and delicate flowers helped ensure its popularity as it spread far and wide. Said to be one of Avis Bixby’s favorites, it is now scattered throughout the RLC backyard. Its deep purple flowers stand above the foliage and[…]
Plants and Birds of the Moment
By Rancho Staff Gardens Oct 01, 2020
The Heliotropum (Heliotrope) is looking beautiful this month. In Adobe Days, Sarah Bixby Smith lists the plants she remembers from Temple’s garden. She ends with, “… and heliotrope made a heaven of fragrance.” Honoring that list, Ralph Cornell – the 1930s landscape architect at RLC – installed six heliotropes, and our horticulturist, Marie Barnidge McIntyre,[…]
Garden Updates
By Rancho Staff Gardens, Visitor Information Sep 10, 2020
Grass Resodding Our grass is being resodded so that it will look great for when we can have in-person events in the future. This means that starting September 11th portions of the grass will be roped off so that the new grass can take root and grow lush and healthy! You can enjoy all the[…]
Plant of the moment: Princess Flower!
By Rancho Intern Gardens Jul 30, 2020
Plant of the moment: the Princess Flower The princess flower (pictured above) or the Tibourchina urvillean, has 3-4” leaves that can be green, yellow, or even red during weather extremes. Its flowers are clustered near the branch tips, and they bloom in succession. Each bloom is 3” across and has violet stamens that stand[…]
Plant of the Moment July
By Rancho Staff Gardens Jul 06, 2020
Plant of the Moment: Hydrangea macrophylla – Hydrangea. The shrub next to the veranda in the backyard gardens is having a stellar season, with large clusters of flowers that seem to make an “oldfashioned” statement. In the early 1900s, immigrants to California planted hydrangeas in the shade of their Southern California homes. This was[…]