Why Cape jewels are a perennial choice for Southern California gardeners

Here are five things to work on in the garden this week.

Flowers: Cape jewels (Nemesia caerulea) are a perennial that would like to bloom throughout the year but are held back by hot summer weather. Its suitability to our climate stems from its origin in the South African Cape Floristic Province, whose climate approximates our own, except our summers are a bit hotter. Purple is the classic color of the intensely fragrant flowers of this species, but varieties that bloom in blue, lavender, and pink are also available.