The Coulter's Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri), a California/Baja native plant, is a paradox. It is described as both difficult to grow and invasive. How can that be? Years ago, I decided the poppy was the plant for me because of the second attribute.
During the summer of 2023, I did a lot of traveling, and my garden didn't get the oversight it needed. I say oversight because my yard has a mind of its own. Just before I took off, I looked around the place and noticed a flash of red stems near the back.
I've been eager to satisfy my appetite for English gardens since visiting the Cotswolds region earlier this year. Fortunately, one doesn't need to travel to the U.K. to experience such a place. We have a great example in Northern California.
Okay, be honest. When you have a plant that is not doing well and you look for help from your favorite book, website, or YouTube source, and they start talking about pH, do your eyes roll back? First, let's define the term.
It's getting close to what I call California native plant season. Fall and winter are the best times to plant natives, and that's also when the Napa Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) holds its annual plant sale.
What makes a berry a berry? Recently, the host of a new cooking show asked if a cranberry (the key ingredient in a cooking challenge) was really a berry. Her question piqued my curiosity. Although I like berries, my attention to them is usually limited to their use as a yogurt topping or dessert.
Hi, my name is Wanda/Willie Red Wiggler Worm (Eisenia fetida), and I live in a worm bin. The bin is cared for by a local garden lover who uses the end product to fertilize her plants.
I went to the Santa Cruz farmers market last week and meandered over to a plant stand. Someone was selling lemon balm in a pot for four dollars. Why would anyone pay for one of those? I mused out loud. I have hundreds I would gladly give away.
