Under the Solano Sun

Embarking on the journey of becoming a Master Gardener trainee has been a revelation, fueled by my deep-rooted passion for nurturing life from seed to the vibrant bloom of flowers.

In my neighborhood there is no shortage of citrus trees. Folks in other parts of the country may not believe it, but it can be too much! This year, in addition to scoring some free at gym, a gentleman who owns several trees near downtown Vacaville said I might try cleaning my Pyrex.

As I dashed outside between rain showers to pull a few weeds, I noticed a small weed that pops up in the same spot year-after-year, no matter how often I pull it up. I didn't think too much about it until I noticed that aneighbor'sphotinia hedge is absolutely thick with the weed.

The beautiful upright lime green flowers are wonderful for use in fresh floral bouquets. The one most widely used in the garden is called Moluccella laevis and is in the Lamiaceae family.

One of my favorite flowers is the Daffodil (Narcissus), they are part of the Amaryllidaceae family, grown from bulbs that go dormant in the winter months. Since the 1950's they have been a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of cancer.