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: Trees and Shrubs
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…
Manzanita
Among the plants rooted in California is the genus Arctostaphylos, made up of evergreen shrubs commonly known by the Spanish folk name of manzanita or…
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 …
Daphnes: A Practical Guide for Gardeners
Daphnes have always held an elusive role in the garden. These coveted shrubs are prized by those who can grow them well and desired by…
Houses of Los Angeles
The purpose of Sam Watters’s monumental tome was to document the grand estates built in the Los Angeles area between 1885 and 1935. In the…
Trees of the California Landscape
Trees define the California landscape, whether in the form of wind-sheared cypresses on Monterey County’s coastal bluffs, massive valley oaks studding interior valley grasslands, or…
Rootball Treatment for Optimal Tree Growth
The biggest problem in selecting quality trees is the character of the root balls; girdling roots threaten the ability of the trees to properly establ…
Gardens Tell the Other Story of Alcatraz
For more than a century, gardens were an important part of everyday life on Alcatraz. Planted by successive waves of island inhabitants, from soldiers…