Trees of Golden Gate Park 71: Madrone
One of the most distinctive trees in forests from Southern California north into British Columbia is the largest tree of the heath, or rhododendron, f…
Regions: Northern California
Nor. Cal
The Milkweeds
Milkweeds are a diverse and interesting group of plants. While most plants in our gardens are purely ornamental, milkweeds have a variety of uses, inc…
North Coast Gardening with Heather
Gardening on the bluffs above the ocean along California’s North Coast presents some particular challenges and special rewards for gardeners with pa…
Crossing into Paradise
I first saw a garden designed by landscape architect David Yakish at the San Francisco Garden Show. Up the steps, through the gate, between towering p…
Cape Heaths in Santa Cruz
Cape heaths are interesting and striking members of Erica , a genus widely known because it also contains the commonly cultivated European heaths. Tho…
Joseph F Williamson, Jr — 1925–2000
Joseph F Williamson, Jr, died April 10, 2000, at his home in Corte Madera, California, after a gallant battle against cancer. Joe was born in Oakland,…
Pacific Plant Promotions: Deppea splendens
When Pacific Plant Promotions (PPP) was in the planning stages, we agreed that a blockbuster plant was needed to launch this project. Deppea splendens…
Marvelous Mallows
With over one hundred genera and nearly 2000 species, the mallow family (Malvaceae) includes a fascinating and beautiful array of plants found in both…
A New Pittosporum
Native to China, Pittosporum brevicalyx first came to the attention of the Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation (SHRF) in the early 1980s. In 19…