Herbs do duty for homeowners, including flavor to cooking and fragrance. Others stay neat and clean while some herbs like rosemary, lavender and lemon balm require a great deal of space. Whether you need basil cilantro for the zing of the southwest or tarragon it’s within your own space and your reach. Pick a place […]

Native to Asia, Alcea rosea is one of 60 species in the family Malvaceae that are generally known as hollyhocks. Plant breeders such as Morgan & Thompson have grown new, double-flowered varieties like Peaches’N Dreams while the hollyhocks featured a string of blossoms on a flower spike. After sprouting, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4 […]

A grasslike, shade-loving perennial, mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus spp.) Can suffer from root diseases. “Gyoku-ryu” (Ophiopogon japonicus “Gyoku-ryu”) is a mini cultivar that grows 1 to 2 inches tall. “Gyoku-ryu,” which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10, grows best in partial or full shade and well-draining soil. Other dwarf […]

Companion planting only suggests that some plants can, and should, be planted together to create a beautiful and healthy garden. When picking companion plants for your roses, opt for ones which have the exact same sunlight and water requirements initially, then select beauty. I have compiled some classic pairings for you as well as some […]

Among the coastal shrubs and wild chaparral that predict the mountainous coast of California and Oregon house, the pendulous catkins of shore silktassel (Garrya elliptica) really are a decoration. When most plants sleep through the winter, shore silktassel comes to life with a cascade of floral tassels. Found by noted botanist David Douglas, shore silktassel […]

Chard, also known as Swiss chard, is a glowing star of the fall garden. If you have a peek at the leaves of its cousin, the beet, you can see a family resemblance. But unlike beets, chard does not wait for you to notice it at the backyard. It easily reaches 2 feet or taller […]

Barb Krasuski and Peter Swan didn’t think they needed sinkhole insurance. Actually, they moved back and forth several times before paying the $40-a-year premium. Several decades after a giant storm rolled through central Pennsylvania, resulting in flooding and extensive damage throughout the region. Let us just say the insurance came in handy. Join me today […]

September in Southern California is a transition from summertime to springlike weather warm days, crisp nights along with a chance of hot, dry Santa Ana winds. Over the next few months, we’ll observe the shift at local nurseries from summer bloomers to winter flowering plants and out of hot season veggies to cool season types. […]