UC Gardening Blogs

Can I Use Vinegar to Control Weeds?

Acetic acid, also known as vinegar, is used in products for weed control. Many people choose it...

Stunning Surprise Blooms in the Garden

A couple of years ago, my husband and I decided to convert one of our raised garden beds into a pollinator patch. When we began searching for plants to consider for this space, I was so excited to see that there was a sale at the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden (https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/plant-sales). The plants offered for sale in the garden are grown at the nursery and are well adapted to the local climate, so I was confident that all of my choices would settle well in my garden project.

Many of the plants that we chose were not flowering, but there were photos of what to expect when in full bloom. I always enjoy doing some online research when in midst of a project and I had a bundle of new plants to investigate before planting. I was able to find detailed specifications of each plant, such as the expected height, width, bloom color and texture. This information helped me plan on where to plant in the garden for a color balance.

We watched the pollinator garden grow and develop very healthy foliage. However, we did not have many blooms until just this summer, and what a stunning surprise of color! Our flowers were much more vibrant than what we imagined from photos.

There is one plant that stands out, and it seems to have bloomed overnight, popping with many bell-shaped lavender flowers. This beautiful plant is called Bellflower, Campanula. (Campanula is Latin for “little bell”). The variety we have is calledCampanula 'Cariboo'- BlueBellflower.

This bellflower is a perennial and remains short between 14 and 18 inches, but will spread over the garden. I think it makes a perfect plant for containers, rock gardens, edging, mass plantings, and ground cover. This plant is beneficial for pollinators, will bloom from late spring to late summer, and thrives in full sun or half shade. The plant can handle a clay soil type, and water needs are minimal.

While doing research, I found that there are a number of other bellflower varieties available, such as Wilkins Harebell Campanula wilkinsiana,or theDesertbells Phacelia campanularia. So, there are wonderful choices and colors to consider for your own garden. We love how our seasonal garden turned out and are happy to watch the pollinators doing their thing!

Bellflowers in the Garden - front left - Al Alvarado

Bellflowers in the Garden 2 - Al Alvarado

Spare the Pain with a Raised Bed Planter

Riddle Time:What goes out more than teenagers?  My back. What do Rice Krispies ™ and my...

Raised Bed

'Let's Go Mothing' on July 20 at Bohart Museum of Entomology

Let's go mothing! What's mothing? The National Moth Week website describes mothing as "a...

This colorful moth is Arctia virginalis, Ranchman's tiger moth, a diurnal or day-flying moth commonly known as the Ranchman's tiger moth. In its larval stage, it's a wooly bear caterpillar, commonly found at the Bodega Marine Reserve and on the trails of Bodega Head, Sonoma County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This colorful moth is Arctia virginalis, Ranchman's tiger moth, a diurnal or day-flying moth commonly known as the Ranchman's tiger moth. In its larval stage, it's a wooly bear caterpillar, commonly found at the Bodega Marine Reserve and on the trails of Bodega Head, Sonoma County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is California Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta californicalis), commonly known as "the mint moth." It feeds on plants in the mint family, including spearmint and peppermint. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is California Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta californicalis), commonly known as "the mint moth." It feeds on plants in the mint family, including spearmint and peppermint. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is a pterophorid plume moth (family Pterophoridae). The "T-square" shape is classic. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is a pterophorid plume moth (family Pterophoridae). The "T-square" shape is classic. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is a white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), which flies during the day and night. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is a white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), which flies during the day and night. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Jeff Smith: Busy as a Bee? No, As Industrious as a Lepidopterist

Busy as a bee?  No, as industrious as a Lepidopterist.  Specifically, as industrious...

Jeff Smith, curator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology's Lepidoptera collection, chats with visitors at an open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Jeff Smith, curator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology's Lepidoptera collection, chats with visitors at an open house. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Legendary Lepidopterists Paul Opler (left) and Robert Michael Pyle, founder of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, chat during the international Lepidopterist Society’s 68th annual conference (2019) that included visits to the Bohart Museum. Opler, who died last year, considered the Bohart Museum Lepidoptera collection "The Bold Standard" of Lep collections. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Legendary Lepidopterists Paul Opler (left) and Robert Michael Pyle, founder of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, chat during the international Lepidopterist Society’s 68th annual conference (2019) that included visits to the Bohart Museum. Opler, who died last year, considered the Bohart Museum Lepidoptera collection "The Bold Standard" of Lep collections. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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