Nature is by far the most genius of garden designers, the most creative of floral arrangers. And if there’s one thing Nature loves, it’s color. Bright, mellow, bold, muted, clear: the whole rainbow of color. Most of us do too,… Continue Reading
My Daphne odora began its seasonal bloom this past week –delicate, pink-edged, four-petaled florets opening one at a time among larger clusters. I was working nearby – absently cleaning leaves out of and re-filling a bird bath, plucking weeds mindlessly… Continue Reading
This week In a North State Garden had the pleasure of speaking with Stephanie Elliott, her two year old son, Collin, and Laurie Niles – all participants in Cultivating Community, a Chico-based project working to encourage the learning about and… Continue Reading
Winter seemed to finally arrive toward the end of January this year, bringing needed rain and snow to the North State. While the driving was a bit tedious, to watch the view change right in front of me was powerful.… Continue Reading
After the holidays, my thoughts always turn towards spring. Clearing away the decorations of Christmas and making a clean sweep in my home is so refreshing that I add some fresh cut flowers to my table to finish off my… Continue Reading
We as gardeners face many dilemmas, some more difficult than others. For many gardeners, pruning falls under the heading of garden dilemma. Every year, I get questions regarding how and when to prune various things in our North State gardens.… Continue Reading
While our North State Gardens have not had much of a winter just yet, one of winter’s particular pleasures is that of bringing spring in. Having bright, fragrant spring bulbs or dramatic branches of spring flowering trees and shrubs bloom… Continue Reading
In the winter days, I spend my daydreaming time thinking about things I might want to change about my garden, or add to my garden. With such little precipitation in the past few weeks or in the coming few weeks,… Continue Reading
I like to think that winter’s long, dark nights, its snow and driving rains (when we get them – boy, I hope we get them), and its killing frosts, provide me with absolution from the mistakes, lapses, failures and inadequacies… Continue Reading
I think many gardener/naturalist types will agree with me when I write that one of the greatest personal results of being a gardener/ naturalist is how these interests and activities tie me into the larger network of life and its… Continue Reading
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