The Evolution of a Native Garden
Creating a native garden has proven to be more challenging and more rewarding than I ever could have imagined when I began thirty years ago. The oak a…
Regions: Northern California
Nor. Cal
The Mediterranean Kitchen Garden: Growing Organic Fruit and Vegetables in a Hot, Dry Climate
As an avid grower of fruits and vegetables, I was excited to find this book about food growing in Europe—in mediterranean climates similar to that…
The Marigold in California
Stop a minute and think about the beautiful marigold. There is nothing more joyous and life enhancing than yellow, golden, bronze, or orange marigolds…
Introduction to California’s Beaches and Coast
There must be at least a million gardeners in California with gardens influenced, and impacted, by their coastal marine setting. They have learned through experience…
The Demonstration Gardens at Falkirk
Falkirk is an eleven-acre estate anchored by a handsome three-story home, a blend of Queen Anne and Eastlake styles, built in 1888. A series of new ga…
Garden Allies: Soil Microorganisms
Just about every available surface under our feet is covered with life; even the thin film of water that coats soil particles and lines pores in the s…
The Tree Dahlia
I saw my first tree dahlia a few years ago, as I was walking down a street in the north coastal town of Arcata, California, glancing into gardens on m…
Crape Myrtles in Western Oregon
Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) offer the powerful triple allure of brilliant flowers (late in the season), beautiful bark, and vivid fall color. Long g…
Downsizing: It Just Suits Me
I discovered that the neighbors refer to my 350-square-foot studio as “the glass house,” most likely because the top of a twelve-foot-high window …