March 1, 2026

Visiting the Getty in Los Angeles can give you floral envy if you’re from the New York area like me. While the LA gardening zone is listed as 10B, which means they don’t usually have temps below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which is below freezing, where I am in NY, it is Zone 7, where we do freeze. Seeing the Leucospermum in the gardens in LA, gave me a jolt until I realized that I grow specimen Chrysanthemums I love which bloom late through October-November, extending the blooming season considerably for me. Some tropicals I grow in my garden and then overwinter in my former root cellar/darkroom, now redesigned as a plant room, is cool in the winter but never freezes. Some plants overwinter well, others don’t. I might try the Leucospermum one year. Until then, I’ll stick with my Chrysanthemums.

This stunning flower is a Leucospermum. It is a photo I took at the Getty in LA in February.

Learn more about these flowers on Wikipedia

In order to get rather close to the effect of the Leucosperman from South Africa, I am able to grow specimen Chrysanthemums. They bloom late in the season in my Zone 7 garden on Long Island, NY. I buy cuttings from, Kings Mums plus I overwinter my plants & root cuttings in the spring.

Leucospermum growing in the February garden at the Getty in LA Calif.

These daily studio notes lead toward my 2026 solo exhibitions in New York City and Poughkeepsie, NY.

My Art Starts in the Garden

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