20 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



simple garden recourses, because the extremes are not great de- 

 partures from conditions which all except strictly tropical plants either 

 fully enjoy or tolerate. This is true of the coast region generally, of 

 the great valleys of the state and the mesas and foothills which lie 

 between the valleys and the mountains. On the mountains and in 

 mountain valleys or plateaux, where elevations above sea level are 

 from 3500 to 6000 feet, wintry snowfall and zero temperatures neces- 

 sitate the choice of plants and pursuit of cultural policies generally 

 characteristic of the north temperate zone. In such regions many sug- 

 gestions conveyed by this publication are apt to be misleading. 



SUMMARY OF ADVANTAGES 



In many following chapters there will be suggestions of the 

 characters of California climates in terms of garden policies and 

 methods. Briefly it may be stated that the climatic advantages which 

 the California gardener enjoys, except in the mountains which are high 

 enough to be wintry, include the following: 



A growing season which includes the whole year for broad-leaved 

 evergreens, except those of strictly tropical origin, and many of them 

 have a winter blooming habit which contributes immensely to the 

 continuous floriferousness of the year. 



A growing season in which frost is so rare and light that many 

 deciduous perennial plants of wintry regions become evergreen and 

 continuous bloomers or have so short a dormant season as to be 

 practically evergreen: some annuals assume the perennial habit or 

 repeat their blooming. 



A frostless season, except in very high or low places, which is 

 practically twice or thrice the length of the frost-free period of wintry 

 climates giving tender plants proportionally longer flowering season 

 and superior development. 



A growing temperature during the rainy season which permits 

 glorious winter-gardening even in locations where summers are too 

 dry for flowers through lack of irrigation. 



Absence of cyclones, which renders arbors, pergolas and other 

 garden structures of very light construction, safe and satisfactory. 



Absence of hail-storms, except in the mountains, rendering plants 

 free from pelting and green-houses safe without hail-stone insurance. 



Dry air during the summer, rendering high temperatures practically 

 free from depressing effects. 



Last, and perhaps best of all, the joy of living and working with 

 flowers ,all the year with weather which invites open air activities. Let 

 then our Dr. F. Franceschi give us a physician's certificate of that, in 

 these words of his: 



