Catalina Island, California
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Mark Rhodes
Posted on: March 18, 1999

I own a home in Southern California on Catalina Island. The Island is located about 26 miles west of Long Beach, California and the weather is comparable to Los Angeles, San Diego and Long Beach. I would like to start an herb garden using your herbs. Will your orange spice thyme, compact English thyme, mission flower, lavender, Greek oregano and mauve garlic chives survive/grow well there. I am not a seasoned gardener and any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

The climate around Los Angeles is zone 10 with average annual winter temperatures from 30 to 40 degrees Fahreheit (minus 1 to 5 degrees Celsius).

Orange spice thyme will probably do well for you, the compact English thyme (zone 4 to 8) may have trouble surviving the summer heat. I can’t find mission flower mentioned anywhere! In the lavenders you might like to try twickle or grosso (zone 5 to 9), Canary Island, fernleaf, French and Spanish (zone 8 to 9). Place them all in a semi-shaded spot to help them survive the heat. Greek oregano is rated zone 5 to 9 and again may need a semi-shaded spot. We do not have a complete rating for mauve garlic chives, but know that it is hardy in zone 5. It may do well for you, since garlic chives and ordinary chives have been reported to do well even in the tropics by some customers of ours.

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