theGardenPages: Gardening tips, native plants, photos, info and artwork

Good to see you! I've got photos and articles on growing California natives, succulents and cacti, plus planting tips on dry weather plants. So, kick off your shoes and relax at theGardenPages!

California ceanothis plant in a so cal garden

California Native Plants and Garden Inspiration:
You can create a beautiful garden full of flowers with plants that don't need a lot of water. Native plants are already on your schedule. More California plants...

Success with Succulent Plants: Ever hear of a color change plant? Succulents are a colorful way to go if you think cacti are too prickly. See photos of succulents flowering and changing color during the seasons. More succulents and xeriscape plants...

Italian cypress shrub privacy hedge photo

NEW -Great Shrubs for Privacy Screens:
Get started on your backyard sanctuary by creating shade or garden rooms. Read about great plants for privacy screens...

Lavender Care and Growth:
Drop by our Lovely Lavender page for photos, aromatherapy information and a little bit of lore. Read more about Lovely Lavender...

aloe vera wallpaper at theGardenPages.com

Garden Plant Wallpaper & Gardening Links:
Grow something nice on your desktop instead of in your coffee cup with our free wallpaper. Check out links to nurseries and plant association too. More garden links and free wallpapers...

I'm always adding new pages to expand the plants covered on my site!
Please bookmark me so you can find out what's new!

NEW - Visit theGardenPages Blog

My Top Gardening Design
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Homegrown Tomatoes
Ask about my Homegrown Tomatoes new retro art

My New Patriotic Gardening Design!

Growing My Victory Garden saying Slogan t-shirt

Growing My Victory Garden Art
Vintage patriotic artwork for the backyard victory vegetable and flower gardener

More Quick Gardening Tips:

New Plant Transplanting Tips or
How to Keep Your Plants From Frying in a Heat Wave

Give your new transplants some shade for the first few days after planting. It helps them adjust to their new home and reduces transplant stress. This info also works for plants that need emergency shade during 100 degree weather.

Be creative: Try shading with a small umbrella (great way to recycle old umbrellas), a garden banner or flag, an old t-shirt or a small piece of shade cloth. You can hang fabric over tomato cages, old wire fencing or a cool branch left over from your last pruning project. I suppose you could actually build a real frame and staple on the shade cloth too.

Try not to do planting during the heat of the day - it just wears everyone out! In warmest areas it it best to give new transplants a little water every day for the first two or three days. Resist the temptation to give them too much water or they will get rot.

Quick Tomato Tip

Tomato plants prefer acid soil. Adding used coffee grounds helps increase the acidity of the soil. Pickle juice and tea also increase soil acidity. Other shrubs that appreciate a cup of java are camellia, azalea, gardenia and roses.

Keeping Sweet Basil Fresh

Get ready for Pesto!

Sweet Basil herb cuttings will stay fresh for weeks in a clean glass of water.
Keep your herb sprigs on the kitchen counter out of direct sunlight.
Change your sweet basil water every few days.
Basil will eventually form roots in the water so you can make more plants!

Dealing with Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are becoming a problem in areas where they carry the deadly West Nile virus. Agencies can't inspect every single inch so they need your help. Abandoned pools in foreclosed homes have become a large problem in some areas. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye out.

Simple, organic, biological mosquito control: A few guppies (mosquitofish or Gambusia affinis) will gobble up the problem and say thanks! Read more on the LA Vector Control Site...

What's My USDA Planting Zone?

In order to help gardeners determine the best times and plants for their area, The United States Department of Agriculture zone map shows in detail the lowest temperatures that can be expected each year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The map shows different zones, each of which represents an area of winter hardiness for the plants of agriculture and our natural landscape. Their site also gives planting, growing recommendations and cold hardiness for your area.

Use this handy link to the US Arboretum's Online USDA Zone Map

Yeah, but what's my USDA Planting Zone if I'm in Australia? We share the same climate, (and a totally awesome surf culture) so why not swap gardening tips? In gratitude to the visitors I get from Australia, I thought it would be neighborly of me to help sort out all this crazy Planting Zone business for you.

I've found a helpful link at the Australian National Botanic Gardens for Plant Hardiness in Australia which also gives a comparison to USDA Zones. Our thanks to Iain Dawson (Horticultural Research Unit, ANBG).

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