The Real Dirt

This Fall we are offering over a dozen workshops. We have quite a few new topics on tap, as well as a timely four-part series on Landscaping with Fire.

The on-going drought is leading many gardeners in our area to include drought-tolerant plants in their gardens, or even design wholly drought-tolerant landscapes. Here are some tips for selecting, planting and caring for plants that prefer dry conditions.

Imagine a garden designed to focus on creating natural wildlife habitat. Why not eliminate turf grass from your own garden and replace it with trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals that benefit wildlife? Welcome to Naturescaping, a method of landscaping that allows people and nature to coexist.

Lilies are monocotyledons, plants which have flower parts in multiples of three, parallel leaf veins and fibrous, branching roots. They often have strap-like leaves in a clump at the base of the plant, and flowers on long stalks which tower over the leaves and wave in the breeze.

You may have noticed that blue oaks are turning brown in the foothills right now. They aren't dying they are utilizing an adaptive strategy that they have evolved over time to thrive in their challenging environment.