Marin

Goldenrod (Solidago) is a striking California native perennial that’s easy to grow in sunny gardens. A member of the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, it is recognizable by its masses of bright yellow flowers that bloom profusely in late summer and fall. The cheery blooms are a delight in the garden as many…

 Apple trees are some of the loveliest in the world, as are their close relatives, the crabapples. Their blossoms in spring are intoxicating, and no wonder—they belong to the Rosaceae family, which includes roses and strawberries.Pollinators like bees and bumblebees are drawn to the fragrant blooms. If…

 These living jewels in our gardens give us many gifts besides the joy of watching them in their pursuit of life, drinking nectar from flowers or feeders, nabbing an insect in the air, chasing another hummer from their territory, or flying acrobatics to impress the females. They bring the gift of…

 Master Gardeners enthusiastically support finding homes for succulents in your home garden. Once reserved for arid climates, succulents have proven resilient and adaptable. Including succulents in your water-efficient garden makes creating a dynamic, biodiverse, and pollinator-friendly garden easier…

 This past month EDG volunteers created a small “patio” in the garden to demonstrate how edibles can be successfully grown in limited space. Too often gardeners are discouraged from growing edibles, believing that it takes a large back yard with room for long rows of plants. However, with the…

Is your yard filled with compacted clay soil and just the thought of attempting to grow vegetables and flowers seems daunting? Or perhaps you’re searching for a raised bed to avoid a lot of bending and stooping. Have you considered trough gardening? Galvanized livestock water troughs, also known as…

 Ah, the bounty of spring! All the tender new foliage on trees and shrubs, flowers galore, and prolific growth in the vegetable garden.  We gardeners revel in the abundance the season brings, and just like us, insect pests, both big and small, love it too. Since there are more insects on Earth…

 Marin no longer has a “fire season.” Like many other areas, our fire season is now year-round due to climate change and other factors. Southern California’s recent horrific fires underscore the urgent need to make our gardens ready for wildfire. “Create passive protection by careful garden design,…

 When the winter rains end, it’s time for gardeners to focus on providing spring and summer edibles with the water they need to grow and produce. While hand watering may be the simplest way to adjust watering to the needs of individual plants, it’s not the most efficient means for getting the right…