An arid summer is a fact of life for North State gardeners. It’s the dry side of our Mediterranean climate. But ever-increasing awareness around the need for water conservation and creative use and re-use of water (as well as all… Continue Reading
September is a transitional sort of month – has a difficult time making up its mind – am I Summer? Am I fall? Am I hot? Or am I cooling? No matter what the weather and the inevitability of the… Continue Reading
It’s August. It’s hot and dry in interior northern California and in most cases, our gardens are looking a little…worn, a little worse for the wear of our long, hot, dry summers. Every gardener I know, prefaces a high or… Continue Reading
“I think I might like the yellow tuberous ones the best – they are common but so consistent and cheerful,” Sally Greenwood, Head Grower at Chico Propagators tells me as we scan the multitude of begonias growing in her care… Continue Reading
Ahhh, long hot days, coolish nights and the plump, fragrant flesh of tomatoes. August is the iridescent shimmer of sunshine along the edge of the scented foliage of exuberant tomato plants – running wild in the vegetable garden. It is… Continue Reading
This piece was originally published in August of 2009, but beautiful plants are always worth revisiting, especially in high summer. Enjoy. Have you noticed how the concept of beauty evolves as you grow older or as you garden longer? Just… Continue Reading
With summer’s heat upon us, I am once again amazed at the resilience and beauty of succulents in our North State gardens. I was inspired to revisit this piece on Claude Geffray’s Gardens in Chico. Look up the word “succulent”… Continue Reading
The emails started a month ago: the buds are looking close. Then two weeks ago: some are open up Caribou Road outside of Oroville – but peak bloom is still a ways off. And now – I’ve seen a few… Continue Reading
Literature and gardening have long gone hand in hand. This weekend, and for the past five years, literature in Siskiyou County gets a helping-hand from the annual Mt. Shasta Garden Tour – organized by Katie Jessup, owner of Spring Hill… Continue Reading
With this long-lingering and actually humid (muggy even) spring-into-summer transition we are experiencing (and mostly enjoying), the regional hydrangeas are looking their very best. Perfect time to revisit Daran Goodsell’s hydrangea collection in Chico. I grew up spending several weeks… Continue Reading
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