Bountiful Harvest
Among the early pioneers in Southern California was an entrepreneur named John Temple, who purchased the 27,000-acre Rancho Los Cerritos in the 1840s.…
Seasons: Spring
Seeds: Miracles in Tiny Packages
The Northwest Perennial Alliance's seed exchange has been a part of its programs from the earliest days. Currently NPA produces about 7,000 packets an…
There’s Magic Behind Those Walls
What appears to be a private residence or club is actually a public jewel, a magical place: the Marin Art and Garden Center, a property with an intrig…
Cyclamen
Emerging in September in my garden on California’s North Coast, the short naked stems of Cyclamen hederifolium rise only a few inches above the soil…
Cyclamen for Winter and Spring
There is something captivating about a cyclamen. Perhaps the daintiness of the reflexed petals or the bright clean colors of the flowers engage our ey…
The Ruth Risdon Storer Garden: Evolution of a Valley-Wise Garden
Since it was first planted in 1980, the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden at the western end of the UC Davis Arboretum has been a beautiful place where home g…
Character Building
Joy's Eugene, Oregon garden today is filled with life. The local kids love to hide among the gigantic feather reed grasses, and neighbors often stop b…
The Secret is Finding the Right Landscape Designer
We had found our dream designer: Bernard Trainor. It was clear that Bernard was in the vanguard of a movement that celebrates gardening in the “spir…
Fire and Ice in a Southern California Garden
The year 2007 was an odd one for Southern California: a severe freeze in January, extreme heat in late summer, and fierce fires in October. Just a few…