Bluebells, Snails and Peas

The Spanish bluebell is a spring-blooming bulb that is well-adapted to semi-shade in Southern California. Its botanical name has been changed from Scilla campanulata to Endymion hispanicus , but many nurseries still sell it as Scilla . The blue is superior to the other colors; the white is small, and the pink is a dusty mauve. Although Spanish bluebells multiply rapidly, they should be planted in groups because blue is a recessive color; a single plant barely shows up.

When decollate snails--the famed killer snails used to control common garden snails--were first introduced, it was thought that the only vegetation they consumed was rotting leaves and fruit. However, recent reports indicate that they eat not only seedlings but also fruits that come into contact with the soil, such as strawberries. Decollate snails are best used in home fruit orchards because they can’t go up trees.

Peas require quite a bit of garden space to produce a good-size yield. However, a recently introduced dwarf-vine variety, ‘Novella,’ can be spaced 9 inches apart, rather than the 18 inches recommended for other pea varieties. ‘Novella’ has almost leafless vines, and, instead of leaves, it has numerous tendrils that interweave with one another, giving the plants support. Seeds for ‘Novella’ are usually available in nursery racks.