Frilly Echeverias: The Fairest Succulents of Them All
The rosette shaped succulents known as Echeveria, native to Mexico, have colors as red as salsa, as opalescent as a south-of-the-border sunset, and as…
Regions: Southern California
So. Cal
Designing with Succulents
Most books on succulents treat them as treasured collectibles or as individual works of art. Few address the value of succulents as landscape material, which…
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…
Garden Allies: Ants
Ants…As Allies? In Aesop’s fable, the ant is held up as a paragon of industry. Carpenters, weavers, gardeners, harvesters, drivers, and honeypot ants all uphold…
The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
Grasses are in the news! A recent front-page article in the San Francisco Chronicle extolled the virtues of a tropical grass now being tested by…
Landscaping with Natives in San Diego
To landscape successfully with native plants requires a different approach—not necessarily more difficult, but different. California’s plants are …
California Japanese-Style Gardens: Tradition and Practice
One of the earliest of California's Japanese-style gardens was at San Francisco's Midwinter Exposition of 1894, where GT Marsh, an antique dealer, ins…
A Cactus Garden Takes Shape
The H Warren Buckner Cactus and Succulent Garden is a feature of the Water Conservation Garden, a five-acre demonstration garden at Cuyamaca College i…