Soquel Nursery Growers
April 2008 Newsletter
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Soquel Nursery Growers 3645 North Main Street Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 475-3533 (800) 552-0802 (831) 475-1608 fax
Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd

Every day is Earth Day if you are a gardener. On the official holiday you can
celebrate with others in your community. Try a beach cleanup party, a wildlands
restoration project, or helping seniors or children plant a garden. Every human
should get a chance to put her fingers in the soil and feel the power of spring.
Early Birds Get the Plants


We are open on Saturday mornings for your spring and summer planting frenzy.
We close promptly at 12 noon, so you might want to forego that leisurely Saturday
brunch and give yourself plenty of time to shop. We’ll be here at 8:00 am.
Dianella tasmanica

Dianella tasmanica or Flax Lily is most famous for its showy
electric blue berries, but its foliage is also very attractive. It
forms a 4’ x 3’ clump of curving strap-shaped dark green leaves.
Star-shaped blue and white flowers with yellow stamens appear in
summer.  Dianella tasmanica tolerates shade and thrives on
neglect. It will spread very slowly. The berries are not edible.
Plant it with Dietes vegeta for a nice contrast.
Geranium ‘Biokovo’

Pale pink Geranium ‘Biokovo’ is from the Biokovo Mountains in Yugoslavia. This
is a sweet little low-growing flower for pots or the front of a border. The
foliage has a feathery texture and turns red in the fall. Geranium ‘Biokovo’ is
very easy to grow in sun or light shade. It is reportedly deer resistant.
Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’

We sell this relative of Potato Vine staked up as a vine, but you can train it as a topiary,
espalier or informal shrub. It grows fast with sturdy, flexible stems to 6’ tall or more.  
Clusters of purplish-blue stars with bright yellow centers appear in late spring and continue
through fall. Solanum crispum likes full sun and rich, moist soil.
Dietes vegeta

Dietes vegeta (aka iridiodes) is also called Fortnight Lily because it blooms
about every two weeks. This white and blue iris-like flower adds elegance and
class to the toughest, most boring   commercial planting site. It looks lovely at
the edge of a pond. It tolerates both standing water and drought. The flower
stalks continue to produce flowers all season long, so be sure to not cut them
off.  The foliage is stiff and makes a nice contrast with the softer, darker
leaves of Dianella tasmanica. Both grow to about the same size.
Rosa Cecile Brunner Climber




Lots of people pronounce this rose  “See-sul” as if it were named after a certain seasick
sea serpent. It is really named after a lady, so you should say “Suh-ceel”. It produces the
most adorable little pink rosebuds, perfect for boutonnieres and corsages. Train it up
over an archway or a sturdy fence. If you can protect the lower part, it will clamber up
out of the reach of deer to 18 feet! Our 15 gallons will give instant gratification.
Helictotrichon sempervirens

Helictotrichon sempervirens or Blue Oat Grass forms a 2’ clump of
finely textured blue-grey leaves. It makes a wonderful contrast with
bronze foliage such as Dodonea and dark greens and blues like
Ceanothus ‘Dark Star’. It is native to   the Mediterranean and thrives
in Pacific Northwest climates.  It is drought tolerant once established
and needs good drainage. As the species name suggests, it does not go
dormant in winter.  By springtime it will have some dead leaves mixed in
with the new growth. Instead of cutting it back, stroke it with a rake
or your fingers and the dead leaves will pull out easily.






Dodonea purpurea & Ceanothus 'Dark Star'
Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’

Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’ is spectacular in the summer and fall,
when it looks like a cloud of little pink butterflies. The
foliage is dark purple. Gaura is not bothered much by pests
or diseases. Sometimes the leaves will be covered with
darker purple spots, which may appear to be a disease, but
is a naturally occurring pigment that will spread out into a
mottled look as the leaves mature. Gaura ‘Siskyou Pink’
has a deep taproot, which makes it drought tolerant but
makes it difficult to transplant. Give it a sunny spot with
good drainage and it will grow to about 2’x 2’, beautifying
your garden for years. If it sprawls you can prune it a bit,
but its open, airy form is part of what makes it so lovely.