Striving for Diversity: Fragrant Champaca
In cultivation, champaca (Magnolia champaca, formerly Michelia champaca) matures at between twenty-five and forty feet. The bright green, glossy leave…
Seasons: Summer
California Native Gardening: A Month-by-Month Guide
In recent years, California gardeners have been presented with a number of excellent books on the state’s native flora and its value for gardeners and…
Petal & Twig: Seasonal Bouquets with Blossoms, Branches, and Grasses from Your Garden
In the most personal of her several books, Val Easton leads us gently through the seasons as she demonstrates the ease with which she brings…
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…
Primula: the Joys of Spring and Beyond
The genus Primula includes more than 400 species distributed mostly around the Northern Hemisphere. The vast majority can be found in the high, damp m…
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 …
Crevice Plantings: Gardens in Miniature
Gary Ratway, landscape designer and master plantsman, elevates otherwise ignored and humble crevices to scenes of delicate and surprising beauty. In h…
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…