Santa Clara

Our gardens at Martial Cottle Park are divided into many different collections with different themes and focuses. See descriptions below for details. Click the map to see a larger version with the collections labeled.Important: Please respect our gardens and do not pick or eat any parts of the plants without…

Santa Clara County provides a year-round climate that is well-suited to growing a variety of culinary and aromatic herbs. Herbs are a great choice for beginner gardeners as they tend to be easy to grow and care for. They are a wonderful addition as borders to your vegetable garden or can be easily grown in…

Rosemary (Savia rosmarinus, previously Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant, drought tolerant, evergreen perennial that is classified as a subshrub for the woody lower stems that develop over time.  Its many forms range from ground covers to tall shrubs.

Some cool season ornamentals bloom in the winter while others grow slowly then explode into flower for fabulous spring blooms. Plant in SeptemberOctober for beautiful bouquets in a few months.

Current quarantine: Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) County-wide quarantine on citrus fruits, leaves, and trees; also Indian curry leaf and other hosts The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) has been detected in Santa Clara County as well as other parts of California.

We offer videos of short tips and full-length talks on a variety of garden topics. Visit our YouTube channel or use the handy guide below. In addition, the University of California Television archive contains videos on several popular home gardening topics.

The flowers and other ornamental plants that we offer at the Spring Garden Fair have been trialed at our research gardens to select varieties that perform particularly well in our climate, with an eye towards ones that are beautiful and long-lasting in flower arrangements. We offer an especially large array…

When to plant: January–March (bareroot) Harvest window: October–November, depending on variety Fertilization: Regular nitrogen feeding during first half of growing season Provide sturdy trellis or arbor for the wide-spreading (up to 30 feet) deciduous vine.

Monthly tips are categorized by To-Dos, What to Plant, or Pests and Diseases. Scroll through the list to see items in each category. Also, refer to our list of tips useful for any month.

Direct seed May–June (possibly April and July). Plant every 2–3 weeks for successive harvest (or when the most recent seedlings have 3–4 leaves). Sweet corn is ready for harvest about 17 to 24 days after the first silk strands appear, more quickly in hot weather, more slowly in cool weather.