Practical advice & moral support for the small-scale gardener
You have to admire the tenacity of figs. Not only are they one of the oldest cultivated fruits known to humankind, with traces of them found in Neolithic sites dating to 5000 B.C.E., but they can grow anywhere, even the most inhospitable locations. The key to successful container gardening is choosing plants whose natural growing conditions closely resemble…
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…
I garden in the Bay Area of California, a part of the world with a very weird and wonderful climate. As a result of the hilly terrain and interlocking land and water masses on the edge of the ocean, we famously have microclimates, which vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. So, to be specific, I garden in…
Our relationships to places are funny things. It can be hard to pin down why we love or hate a place and often it depends on memories and nebulous vibes more than a place’s actual virtues or defects. Furthermore, they are unrequited relationships. Places do not love us back; they are indifferent to our feelings…