Moorish to Modern
Ancient Lessons for Contemporary Gardens. For millennia, humans have cultivated the landscape for food and enjoyment. Over the long course of history…
Regions: Southern California
So. Cal
Choice Palms
Undeservedly Rare Palms for West Coast Gardeners. In the Philippines they say if you could count the stars then you could count all the ways the coc…
Photo Gallery: Water Use in Andalusia
The Mediterranean climate of Andalusia, characterized by hot, dry summers, mild winters with variable rainfall, nearly constant sunshine, and rare frost, has much in common…
Growing California Native Plants
I used to eagerly anticipate Marjorie Schmidt’s articles in Fremontia, the journal of the California Native Plant Society for her keen writing and observational skills,…
Lush, Colorful, and Water-wise: An Impossible Dream?
Beauty, variety, color, shade, and water savings—all at the same time. It doesn’t get any better than this. One neighbor has already followed our …
A Gooseberry Affair
If the wild currants (Ribes species) of the West, are uncommon in gardens, the species of Ribes known as gooseberries are virtually unknown. Only one …
The Madagascar Spiny Forest at Los Angeles County Arboretum
The success of the LA County Arboretum’s Spiny Forest will, we hope, encourage more plant enthusiasts to experiment with some of these plants from M…
Insect Hotels
Insect hotels add a charming focal (and conversation) point to gardens. Part of the appeal in creating a hotel is in the artistic expression possible …
Garden Allies: Honey Bees
An Insect Synonymous with Civilization In the late 1600’s, Johannes Swammerdam meticulously dissected a honey bee with home made tools and a primitive microscope. In…