Snapdragons are popular with kids, who enjoy pinching the flowers and making the "dragon mouth" open and close. The flowers are slightly fragrant and are available in a wide range of bright colors.

Snapdragons make good cut flowers and are wonderful in beds or borders. They do best in well-drained, fertile soil and full sun.

VFFA hybrid. This heat-tolerant variety bears early harvests and will set fruit even when daytime temperatures are high. The tomatoes are uniformly red, average about 7 ounces, and are quite abundantly produced. Especially well-suited for the Southeast and other warm areas. 68 days. Determinate.

While viewing Chinese gardens a tourist from Southern California will notice many familiar species. On my most recent visit to China, I was surprised by some of the plants and flowers that I came across. Plants such as pittosporum, golden bamboo, lorapetulum, coleus, bower vine, and azaleas not only grow beautifully in China, but can also do very well in sunny Southern California.

The weather in the summer in China is incredibly warm, but it is a moist heat, not a dry heat. This is important to keep in mind when choosing the optimal spot to plant your new addition. All of these plants clearly have the ability to acclimate to California weather; it is just important to keep in mind that they are all plants accustomed to heat and moisture. Some trees that will also do well in both China and Southern California are certain pines traditionally used for bonsai, crape myrtle, magnolia, and the ginko tree. The gardener who wants to add an Asian influence to the landscape would do well to use plants and flowers from China. Most are not only drought-tolerant and hardy, they are a wonderful addition to any garden.

Thanks to guest writer Lisa Akiyama for this article.

The following tomato varieties are expected on Sunday the 28th, subject to availability:
Sieletz, Oregon Spring, Moscow, Galina Cherry, Glasnost, Kotlas, Manitoba, Siberia, Silvery Fir Tree, Polar Baby, and Polar Star

This Week's Question:  According to the Guinness Book of World Records, what is the world's most massive living tree (most massive, NOT tallest)?

This Week's Prize:  hanging basket  ($17.99) of the winner's choice

There's no sure way to protect your home from a raging fire, but there are some things you can do to minimize the risk. If you live next to native brush or chapparal - near a canyon, for example - take these steps to protect your property.

• Keep the landscape close to your home well-watered. Don't grow flammable plants such as pine trees close to your home or allow them to overhang your roof. (Shrubs and trees with lush green leaves, like pittosporum, are recommended for green belts.)

• Don't mound shrubbery close to your house. Shrubs should be spaced apart from each other and kept low. For safety from fire when houses are close together, it's best to have no shrubbery between them.

• Create a buffer zone. A well-watered green area of low-growing plants can act as a firebreak between you and the chapparal. The buffer zone should be at least 30 feet wide on flat ground and progressively wider as slopes get steeper. Walls, rocks, patios, rustic seats, and wandering paths can be part of the landscaping. Use plant materials that have proven their ability to withstand some fires, such as succulents and cacti. Coarse carpobrotus iceplant is not recommended, but rosea iceplant is. (Ask your local UC Cooperative Extension Office or the California Department of Forestry for additional information and plant lists.)

• Manage the existing brush. Go right down into the chapparal and remove the fuel load from inside. (Be on the lookout for poison oak, rattlesnakes, and sudden drop-offs in the terrain.) The buildup of dead leaves, twigs, branches and weeds in the understory is what makes the hottest fires. You may have to use a chain saw. (Keep a fire extinguisher and a shovel close at hand in case of sparks.) Cut out and haul away or chip and compost all of the dead stuff that builds up inside native shrubs. Leave all the green growth on the outside. When you're finished you'll have a wonderland of usable space for birds and other wildlife that inhabit our precious chaparral.