The Real Dirt

You've seen these terms often: drought tolerant and water-wise. For water conservation and sustainable gardening, Master Gardeners recommend plants that are adapted to the long, hot, dry summers of the Mediterranean climate.

Native plants give us a sense of where we are in this great land of ours. I want Texas to look like Texas and Vermont to look like Vermont. Lady Bird Johnson (First Lady of the United States as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963 1969). Plants define the landscape.

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.