With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I’ve been giving a lot of thought about what to give my own mother. My mom is an incredible gardener but can be pretty picky, so finding the perfect gift is always a bit challenging. Which means I’m always on the look out for something a little out of the […]
Knock-out kniphofias (aka: Red Hot Pokers) are a surefire way to add exciting vertical interest to any garden. Beginning in mid-spring, slender, snake-like stalks rise from a clump of grass-like foliage (sometimes appearing to grow a few inches a day!) Then, look out as the flowers begin to put on their show, slowly opening from […]
Last week I spent a few days with Jeanette Sinclair (of Woodside Images) in Southern California’s charming little town of Santa Paula, visiting Ball Horticulture’s Spring Trials to see what new treasures they had to offer the plant world. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Spring Trials, Jeanette compares it to New York’s Fashion […]
Last week I was invited to have breakfast at Sunset magazine’s headquarters, along with a few of my favorite fellow gardeners. The event was to welcome the new Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook, which will be released next week, as well as to tour the grounds and the test garden. While of course I was thrilled […]
I have been dying to get my hands on the latest edition of the New Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (Oxmoor House, 2012. List Price $34.95) Well, it’s finally here and I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been given a copy to review. And as if that weren’t enough – Sunset is letting […]
Hellebores are fairly easy to grow here in Northern California, requiring partial shade, well-draining soil, and moderate irrigation. But the best part? They bloom in the dreary days of winter! They come in a staggering range of colors, from the deepest maroon to the palest ivory. They’re typically categorized as either having upright blooms on […]
As a proud member of the Fiskars garden blogging team, I’m thrilled to be joining the 45th anniversary celebration of the Orange Handled Scissors! So far this month, there’s been a pretty exciting line-up of guest interviews who are all raving about their love of Fiskars’ scissors (Chris March, Duff Goldman and Claudine Hellmuth) but […]
Have you ever toured a garden, when the moment you stepped through the front gate you were instantly transported to another time and place? That was the case with Lecia Davis’s magnificent garden in Laguna Beach, California. I had the opportunity to visit this exquisite garden a few weeks ago and was completely caught off […]
A few weeks ago the folks at Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company asked if I’d like to review a copy of their new book The Heirloom Life Gardener, by Jere and Emilee Gettle (227 pages, Hyperion, 2011. List Price $29.99) I was excited to read this book because even though I’m a passionate gardener and […]
Last month I visited the beautiful garden of Debra Lee Baldwin, and while inside her home I couldn’t help sneaking a photo of her charming desk. It’s at this sweet little corner where she creates her stunning succulent and cactus watercolor paintings. I’m always impressed by anyone who can draw anything beyond a stick figure […]
It’s time for another holiday giveaway, but HURRY – this contest ends December 5th! A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to review a pair of Fields & Lane gardening gloves as well as offer a contest for my readers. And all I can say is HOLY COW, I LOVE these gloves! Gardening […]
Thanksgiving has come and gone, as has the turkey, the leftovers and the relatives. Having survived Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and now Cyber Monday, it seems to me the world is in a shopping frenzy. Everyone is in a mad race to find the perfect gift for their loved ones and it’s pure mayhem […]
