If you’re already thinking about fall color in your garden, I can’t recommend California fuchsia (Epilobium canum) enough. Its tubular bright red and orange flowers bloom in autumn and unfailingly attract hungry hummingbirds, while its soft silvery foliage looks nice all year round. And best news of all for us balcony gardeners: it thrives in…
Category: Natives
Why October 1st is Gardening New Year
Happy October 1st! Despite the Bay Area’s warm temperatures, it’s really starting to feel like fall. The days are noticeably shorter and there’s a subtle, spicy scent in the air. As summer winds down, we gardeners in the Western Hemisphere reflect on the growing season and start scheming for the next one. It’s Gardening New Year….
The Six California Native Plants Living on My Balcony
Of the 6,000+ native plants of California, I have six growing on my balcony. I should have more, but too often I succumb to a selfish desire to transform my garden into an Italian villa. However, I am resolved to fill future open container space with native species, for the health and biodiversity of my…
How to Start Growing Native California Plants in Containers
It’s California Native Plant Week! This event, organized by the California Native Plant Society, celebrates the 6,000+ types of plants indigenous to my state. These are the species that occur naturally in this region, not introduced by humans. Although there are loads of benefits to growing native plants, keeping them in containers comes with challenges. But it’s worth…