The Central Valley Garden in Winter
In California’s Central Valley, the onset of winter’s cool, wet weather marks the beginning of the growing season for California native and medite…
Plants: Flowering plants, vines, and bulbs
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden
When faced with the loss of her garden, Elda Behm saved more than just a few plants; she saved her entire garden—at least most of it— and it has b…
Great Plant Picks: Ninety-one for 2008
Since the launch of the Great Plant Picks program eight years ago, almost 500 plants have been selected as the most reliable garden-worthy plants for …
Not Your Mother’s Hellebores: A New Look at Species and Hybrids (Part 2)
Selections from interspecific and intersectional hellebore crosses are widely available in a range of sizes, leaf shapes, and flower colors, thanks to…
Enjoying Zauschnerias
Zauschnerias, the so-called California fuchsias, have long been known and grown by the horticultural cognoscenti of the world. Who can resist their la…
California Gardener’s Guide, Volume II
In the interest of full disclosure, I admit to being more than a little familiar with the format of Nan Sterman’s excellent new book, California…
Married to My Garden
As Barbara Blossom Ashmun reveals in Married to My Garden, her new collection of essays, a romance with gardening may thrive even as relationships falter…
Chasing Wildflowers: A Mad Search for Wild Gardens
Raconteur Scott Calhoun leaves his plant-loving reader ravenous for Baja fish tacos, Mexican Coca-Cola, ice-cold Tecate, Red Iguana mole, Johnny Cash, Ravel, Kandinsky, Yeats, Lewis…
Garden to Vase: Growing and Using Your Own Cut Flowers
There seems to be a limited overlap between the universe of gardeners and the universe of floral designers. More’s the pity, for the two realms…