I love springtime in the desert when it comes alive in shades of yellow, orange and pink. Cactus Flowers, Beavertail prickly pear (Opuntia basilaris) Last week, while I was driving through a residential area nestled in the desert mountains, I could hardly keep my eyes on the road. Everywhere I turned, there were brightly […]
There are many flowering perennials that I can think of that only flower once a year and many people think that the lovely blooms of penstemon count among them. Photo: Parry’s Penstemon But, did you know that if you prune the flowers just as they begin to fade that you can stimulate another flush of […]
In today’s post, I’d like to share with you a very special day that we spent with our youngest daughter, Gracie. For those of you who have followed me for a while, you will have read about Gracie’s story and how we adopted her from China back in 2003. She was one and a half […]
While strolling through the vegetable garden the other morning, pulling out weeds, I spotted a pretty white mystery flower growing on top of a weedy-looking stalk. I stepped over to take a closer look and scratched my head for a few seconds trying to figure out where this mystery flower came from. The flower was […]
It never ceases to amaze me how that despite how busy your calendar, everything grinds to a halt when you get sick. Oh, I realize that there are certain types of sickness that you can press on through like a cold or even a small fever. But, when the stomach flu hits, you are powerless […]
After a record-setting February, I think that it’s safe to say that spring has officially arrived. Plants are waking up a bit early with flower buds bursting forth with glorious blooms. Photo: ‘Sierra Star’ Fairy Duster (Calliandra ‘Sierra Star’) Of course, an early spring means that people are anxious to get out in the garden. […]
Agave are my favorite succulent of mine in my own garden and also finds itself a prominent addition to many of my landscape designs. There is so much to love about agave, from the unique, rosette pattern of their succulent leaves to the dramatic flowering stalk that they send up toward the end of their lives. […]
One of the most rewarding things about my job is having the opportunity to revisit areas that I have designed. Despite designing landscapes for over 17 years, I never tire of having the opportunity to explore them again to see how the landscape has matured. When touring the landscapes, I take time to look at […]
Do your kids beg you to feed them kale or other dark green, leafy vegetables? Probably not. I confess that I don’t particularly like to eat kale when it is in large pieces. But, after planting it for the first time in my vegetable garden this year, I was determined to learn to enjoy […]
Native plants have become increasingly popular choices for the landscape due to the fact that they not only survive, but thrive with little fuss. On a visit to California last month, our family decided to spend a morning exploring the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. The city of Santa Barbara has always held a special place […]
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