Articles Archives - Matilija Nursery - California Native Plant and Iris Nursery

Articles

In our article section you’ll find helpful information on how to maintain your garden, take care of your plants, attract wildlife and see examples of inspirational native California gardens. Check back often as we’ll be adding new articles frequently.

How to Grow Pacific Coast Irises in Your Garden. Hint: Ignoring Them Works Best!

How to Grow Pacific Coast Irises in Your Garden. Hint: Ignoring Them Works Best! By Bob Sussman: translated into understandable and grammatically correct English by Sarah G. Sussman Ph.D. (All I know is what I read on the internet and[…]

Some First Blooms from our Pacific Coast Irises- 2021 Bob Sussman

Some First Blooms from our Pacific Coast Irises – 2021- Bob Sussman A few new first blooms from the laboratory. These flowers the result from our crosses two to three years ago. While there are many, many more they tend[…]

A Note on Hybridizing Pacific Coast Irises. 8/14/21

A Note on Hybridizing Pacific Coast Irises. 8/14/21 Bob Sussman As many of you know we’ve been growing and crossing pacific coast irises for years. When people visit the nursery I always bring it up. In summer I tell[…]

Zoom…..Gardening with Pacific Coast Irises March 24th!!!!!!

I will be giving a presentation on gardening with pacific coast irises on March 24th, at 7:00 to about 8:00 and it’s open to you! Then, for those who want more….we will have an open house at our nursery on[…]

I want to see the flowers before I buy and plant them!

I want to see the flowers before I buy and plant them! Bob Sussman 2/17/2021 We’re told early on that it’s better to plant plants/flowers before they bloom not while they’re blooming or worse after they bloom. Now there[…]

Our Pacific Coast Irises are Getting Ready to Travel…

A limited number of our pacific coast iris hybrids are ready to travel to your garden. Take a look and more will be added as they root out. How it all works is at the end! We are starting to[…]

Island Bush Mallows our Lavatera- Bob Sussman

Island Bush Mallows our Lavatera- Bob Sussman Lavatera or tree mallows are native to all the continents of the world with the exception of the poles. In North America, California they are native to our Channel Islands. There are[…]

Where Some New Irises Come From- Bob Sussman

Where Some New Irises Come From Plants do funny things because they are plants. We’ve been growing and crosses pacific coast irises for many years. In the western states there are some 11 or 13 irises that are native.[…]

A Distribution of Flower Children from the Same Parents

A Distribution of Flower Children from the Same Parents- Bob Sussman (Hardly a scientific peer reviewed article, maybe better) A little over 10 years ago, thanks to a visit from Dr. Richard Richards I learned how to cross or hybridize[…]

Lots Milkweed …Pick Your Favorite (Native)

Lots Milkweed …Pick Your Favorite (Native)- Bob Sussman Every year the monarchs come to our region, southern California to mate in both spring and again in fall. They lay their eggs on the various milkweed plants in the wild areas[…]