Garden Gossip Show Friday, Feb 26, 2010

Today, our guest was Lotusland Executive
Dir. Gwen Stauffer and boy did we have fun.
Lotusland is a treasure of Santa Barbara County and if you haven't visited this incredible garden, you are missing something very special. Gwen talked about an upcoming exhibit that is the installation of sound throughout the garden. These sounds range from recordings of Madame Ganna Walska singing opera to those of birds singing in the gardens. This exhibit will only last 4 days! Opening day is Wednesday, March 17 and ends Saturday, March 20. Call Lotusland for reservations at 805.969.9990 or visit on the web at www.lotusland.org.
Lotusland also has a winter special, from now until March 13th the entry fee will be discounted 20%.
What about name that plant? The answer was Allspice! Allspice is the unripe fruit from a type of Myrtle tree that is grown in Jamaica. We discovered that the wood is used to smoke meats and that the Allspice tree can not be propagated by seed unless the seed has been first digested by a bird! See you next week and if you have any questions about your garden call us for a FREE Home Garden Consultation at 805.969.3984 or on our website: www.montecitolandscape.com. Until next week, fill your garden with joy! Chris, Lisa and Leana
 

Garden Gossip Show Friday, Feb 19 2010

The man behind the French Festival, Steve Hoegerman, was our guest on Friday. We were talking about the gardens of Provence. Steve is a frequent traveler to France and specifically the region of Provence. In fact once a year he organizes a trip to the area, taking his guests to the
hidden spots that he has discovered in his years of travel there..
I was thrilled that a new caller won the Name That Plant Contest..this week's prize was two tickets to the upcoming International Orchid Show March 12, 13 & 14 in Santa Barbara.
One of the clues I thought was fun: this plant (which is traditionally an ingredient in Herbs de Provence) was used as an additive in beer as a preservative and aromatic before the introduction of hops! It was known as a symbol of happiness to the Greeks and Romans in early times. The answer: Marjoram! Steve Hoegerman's websiteI always have some fresh Marjoram growing in my garden.
Next week on Garden Gossip, we'll be talking with executive director of Lotusland, Gwen Stauffer. She is always fun..see you next week and remember to Fill Your Garden with Joy! Lisa
Steve Hoegerman's Website