San Francisco

It's a fact. Gardening is great exercise with big benefits for both physical and mental health. It's also hard work and many of the tasks we do in the garden can lead to aches and injuries if not done properly.

It's May and spring is busting out all over! After months of gray skies and wet, chilly days, we can rejoice at the sight of each tender shoot, leaf and bud. With the resurgence of life all around us, it may seem as if the state of the natural world may not be so bad after all.

My garden is cursed! All I have is shade and nothing will grow, wailed the neighbor. Living as we do in Sunny California, it may seem downright unfair but almost every garden has some shady spots, and they are often the most troublesome to deal with.

Gardening with your kids might be one of the best things you can do for them. Not only is it a great way to spend quality time together, it can also make a big difference in their physical, mental and emotional health.

Growing your own plants from seed has a lot of advantages: more variety, less cost and getting a head start on the growing season are just a few. Practicality aside, it's just plain miraculous to grow plants from seeds.

It's January and, although it may be cold and damp, the days are getting longer by a few seconds each dayjust enough additional daylight to stir a gardener's blood.

Last winter's epic rainstorms have caused many of us to think about what we can do to mitigate the impact of heavy downpours on our communities. As it happens, the impervious surfaces that keep us dry and mud-free (our homes, patios, driveways, etc.

What is a lawn? For many of us, those traditional squares of lush, green turf grass have not only been a part of the landscape, but also an icon of our American culture for generations. A manicured lawn symbolized prosperity and respectability.

Enjoyment of the world around us and in our gardens is a deep-rooted and multifaceted aspect of the human experience.

Last winter's storms were unprecedented. The volume and intensity of rainfall turned creeks and streams into rushing torrents that overflowed their banks and flooded nearby areas. Gutters and drains couldn't handle the flow and turned streets into virtual canals.