Memories can pop up when least expected. My family and I would sit on the back deck of our South Lake Tahoe cabin and pick out and devour...

Truth be known, I have not specified Koelreuteria paniculata in any of my designs, and I am not sure why. Perhaps one reason is that it...

Easily unnoticeable but offers so much more when looking at the details, we should be seeing more of Melaleuca linariifolia in public...

Ages ago...I am referring to my own ancient history...I was an outsider yet still involved with activities on Stanford's campus. My...

Need a colorful ground cover that is also drought tolerant? Consider Lantana montevidensis. Unlike its sibling, Lantana camara that...

Lantanas continue to grow in availability offering a wide variety of colors and sizes among hybridized cultivars. For this post, we will...

Like me, Ginkgo biloba is a living fossil, or as Sunset summarizes, an "ancient survivor from prehistoric times..." (p. 339). The...

This little germander always finds its way into my gardens, in part for its versatility. I have primarily specified T. x lucidrys as...

Welcome to floral sunshine in the native garden! Solidago velutina ssp. californica, or California goldenrod, is not well known among...

Ushering in the autumn season is California fuchsia, or Epilobium canum. When so many other native perennials are already withering or...

California has everything, even its own rose. No, it is not a fancy multi-petaled cut flower coveted by lovers, but it certainly has...

There are two trees I can think of that leave me unenthusiastic about giving them my time here. The first is Ailanthus altissima, which...

Whenever drought reminds us that many Californians live in a Mediterranean climate, succulents rage in popularity with a wide array of...

An intriguing sage unlike any other I am used to growing, Salvia reptans offers a unique texture in the garden. Unfortunately, it is one...

For twenty plus years, my commute followed the Russian River from Healdsburg to Duncans Mills. Sometimes I would keep going all the way...

Frequently, I second guess myself on the scientific name of this deciduous tree. Pistache, pistachio...isn't there an "h" in the genus? ...

Where do you fall in the carob or chocolate debate? A general online search illustrates how people take sides for their health benefits...

Valley Water, Santa Clara County's water authority, has been a leading influence in helping community members find practical and creative...

When thinking about street trees for California, there are few evergreen examples that check off all the boxes of requirements and still...

It was not until finding this photo that I realized the petals were in the shape of true love, reminding me to admire the details if not...