What a truly incredible Spring is happening here in California this year! Our warm temps & bountiful rains are creating one of the best wildflower shows – possibly in our lifetime! If you can (or can’t) get away in the next month, do check out these exciting “wildflower hotlines!”

Lupinus ‘Morello Cherry’

Ever wanted to grow those large flowering “Regal Lupines” that look so gorgeous in books & magazines? If you live in the Bay Area, you may have bought them in 6-packs & planted them in eager enthusiasm … only to watch them get covered up in mildew & die an unsightly death (Oh, why do they sell these in the Bay Area?!). Our climate is just too mild & foggy for them.

Well, my foggy friends, you really can have an enchanting, story-book Lupine! You may have heard me raving about it here at the nursery – it’s called Lupinus ‘Morello Cherry.’

Big, beautiful & mildew free, ‘Morello Cherry’ reliably returns with a bang each season, growing ever larger & showier. Quickly forming a large & dense bright green mound – about 16” tall & 2’ across, you’ll love its big, handsome, palmate leaves. Starting around May, the sturdy, budding spikes begin to push themselves upwards from the foliage, soon to transform into glorious 18” spikes of bright (& scented), cherry-red blooms. Each spike lasts for 3 weeks or more & they keep coming – for months - especially if you remove the faded ones. Good cut flowers too!

After ‘Morello Cherry’ has exhausted itself, just cut it back almost to the ground & it will quickly re-sprout to provide pretty green foliage thru Fall, when it goes deciduous. In late Winter, spread a 1”-2” layer of good compost over a 2’ area above the root system & stand back as the new nutrient-happy foliage pops up in early Spring.

Here in coastal California grow this Lupine in full sun with rich soil & regular watering. It will wilt if it’s allowed to go dry (but will recover after a drink). It’s definitely not prone to mildew but I wouldn’t push the envelope with daily overhead watering, especially when it’s foggy. If you water with a hose, keep the nozzle low – below the leaves. And if you come to love this easy-to-grow Lupine as much as I do – you can always have more – as they self sow (not pestily) & come true from seed. Yay

I can’t resist introducing a second plant this month, as this is the only time we’ll have it available this year. One of my favorite grasses, I was in awe the first time I saw a full grown specimen growing at Mendocino Botanical Garden.

Chionochloa rubra

Chionochloa rubra or “NewZealand Windgrass” is considered, by grassy people, to be the best of the big mounding grasses but as yet, it’s not been available here in the states. Growing from 3’- 5’ tall & as much across, the densely held & arching, tawny-gold foliage shimmers in the sunlight. A beautiful, stunning accent grass that’s tough & adaptable to dry or wet soil. Long lived & stays so pretty – I’ve never needed to cut it back.