Tohono Chul Gardens
We stayed in the Tucson area at the end of winter and hiked trails every day, but we also visited some gardens in the area, with a focus on flowering plants of the Sonoran Desert and others suitable for home … Continue reading →
D. Smith
Oregon Grape
Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) is an evergreen shrub native to our area. It is not often seen in home gardens, but it is a good candidate for natural spots on slopes. We have a number of hard-to-get-to sloped areas … Continue reading →
Mayne Island Japanese Gardens
We stayed on Mayne Island in early fall to hike, paddle, and explore. On one of these days, we raveled across the island to Dinner Bay and visited the Mayne Island Japanese Gardens. The gardens were built to commemorate … Continue reading →
Cilantro
In spring we plant cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) seeds in a row in the “greens” garden early. If it is the same spot as last year, there are often some volunteers nearby from seed dispersed late summer. I try to choose … Continue reading →
UBC Botanical Gardens
When we travel, we try to visit botanical gardens and take the time to observe, enjoy, and photograph flowering plants. Whenever we visit the west side of Vancouver, we walk the trails in the UBC Botanical Gardens. It is the … Continue reading →
Chamomile
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is an annual herb in the Asteracaea family. It readily grows from seed and usually reseeds in abundance. These low-growing plants can be attractive in masses when flowering but look more weedy later in the season. … Continue reading →
New Zealand Gardens
We were in New Zealand for a month, living in a campervan and touring. We hiked or kayaked every day and explored a number of areas. We stopped at several gardens, notably in Queensland, Kaikoura, and Akaroa. We … Continue reading →
Nitrogen-Fixing Plants
When we fertilize our gardens we are adding needed nutrients. Nitrogen is the primary ingredient, provided to assist plants in the production of chlorophyll to support photosynthesis, allowing plant cells to build. Nitrogen is needed to produce green leaves, … Continue reading →
End of November Flowers
In the last few days of November, the temperatures ranged from -3ºC to +2ºC. No hard frosts had yet decimated standing plants, but that is not far away. In the vegetable garden chard and arugula was still fine. … Continue reading →
Gazanias
Gazanias (Gazania rigens) are warm-weather (Zones 9 – 11) summer-flowering herbaceous perennials in the daisy family. They bring vibrant colors (oranges, yellows, pinks, and reds) to the home garden. They also called African daisies since they are native to South … Continue reading →