California Immigrant Stories

We Californians don't mean to be smug about living in the best place on earth... but we are.  It's no accident that we put down roots on the Best Coast.  The Golden Gate landscape is gorgeous, the mild climate is delightful and our cultural and economic landscapes offer enriching opportunities.  What more could anyone ask for?

Many of us are transplants from other places, choosing to live here because we'd rather not wrestle winters of snow and sleet, or slog through the ravages of hurricane season.  We come from all over the world- leaving friends and family back home, going out on an emotional and financial limb to relocate, and unsettling ourselves just to have to re-settle ourselves.  But it's worth it.  We're here because...it's better.  

This immigrant story is also true for many plants in today's California landscape.   Thanks to an eminently hospitable environment for all types of flora, the state enjoys a wide ranging plant palette from ferns to cacti. In fact, most of the plants we use in our gardens are from distant places: from China- to Chile- to South Africa.  California gardeners have the incredible good fortune to be able to create landscapes using plants from all over the world, which are happily adapted to our climate and soils.

...yet another good reason to live here.

Below are a few new plant introductions, spotted at the NorCal trade show on February 14th, 2013:

Yucca Bright Star 'Walbristar'

Helleborus orientalis 'Golden Sunrise'

Kalanchoe 'Fantastic' 

Agave 'Blue Flame'