February Gardening, Low Water Use Plants,
Garden Tour Invitation

February Garden Calendar

February is a month of frosty nights. It can be one of the coldest months of the year and -let’s hope- lots of rain. Flowers Plant hardy annuals and perennials including Calendulas (we have Calendulas), Primroses, Pansies, Snapdragons, Stock, and Violas. This is a good time to plant Calla Lilies (we have white and some special colored Callas) and Daylilies (Markham has an exceptional selection of Daylilies). It’s still a good time to plant California natives of which we have abundance. Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ (left) is an example of a California native that would get a head start by being planted now. S. ‘Bee’s Bliss’ is a low growing, trailing Salvia with gray leaves and blue flowers and that wonderful native sage fragrance. It is drought tolerant when established and cold hardy. Bee’s Bliss is one of our top selling plants and is hard to keep in stock. It is good for planting on slopes to prevent soil erosion. If you look through our 4” specially priced dollar plants, you will find Feverfew, California poppies, Foxglove, Larkspur, Corydalis, and Shoo Fly. You should also look through our bed with 4” plants priced at $2 per 4” pot for starter plants including a good selection of California natives.

Edibles

You should be planting dormant roots of Asparagus, Rhubarb, Artichokes, Horse Radish, and Strawberries. Also potatoes, onions, and garlic. And you can plant transplants of broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and chard. Unfortunately, with an occasional exception (maybe specialty onions), Markham Nursery does not stock or grow any of the above edibles.

Low Water Use Plants Available at Markham Nursery

Teucrium – two types – one is a shrub and the other is a groundcover.
Thyme – This herb grows best in heat and poor soil. We have several varieties.
Wisteria – large fragrant vine with purple flowers in Spring
Zauschneria – Now known as Epilobium; also known as California Fuchsia and Hummingbird Flower.

Zauschneria is a California native perennial that is sometimes slightly shrubby. It can endure Summer long drought and still produce flowers Summer through Fall. Zauschneria spreads freely by underground rhizomes so is therefore good used on banks and out of the way places. Our Zauschneria have orange to scarlet tubular flowers which are loved by Hummingbirds. While not at Markham, some hybrids are available with new colors such as pink or white. They all have gray or green narrow leaves. Hardy to 0ºF.

Garden Tour Invitation from Richard

Richard S., who is one of our almost weekly customers, would like to invite you to tour his Concord garden which he is proud of. One of the special points he’d like to show you, is how Markham plants are doing in his garden. Richard is local and can be reached at (925) 680-7521. You will also be able to meet his sweet, friendly dog who is also a regular at Markham. Thanks Richard, for the invite.