Category Archives: essay
Western Hills
The story of Western Hills can’t be fully told by an outsider, of course, so this will in no way be an attempt at a complete history. The former nursery and now endangered 3-acre garden have woven through Northern Californian … Continue reading
Garden Show Road Trip
Can there exist a more potent rite of spring than the garden show road trip? Can’t think of any offhand. This week’s road trip was up to the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, continuing through this weekend. Driving up … Continue reading
All In A Day’s Work
The desultory, unfocused morning stretched into the same kind of afternoon, and I gave up the pretense of attempting to accomplish anything and headed for a bath. With an unread December Gardens Illustrated issue propped on the reading stand (often … Continue reading
Posted in Ephemera, essay
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Type G Personality
Although the science behind the Type A and B personality theory seems to have become largely discredited, I believe there is a strong case to be made for the Type G personality. (Type G’s, you know who you are. Don’t … Continue reading
Posted in essay, garden ornament
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The Jasmine and the Snowman
After working in front of a computer 40 hours the last four days, I was in desperate need of a walk. Coat, coffee money, and a camera were found and I headed out the door. Reading other garden blogs, I’m … Continue reading
Waking Up to White
Sometimes I seem to be sleepwalking when planning the garden. For example, how could I not have noticed this build-up of white-flowering plants? White valerian, agrostemma, diascia, Geranium maderense, arctotis, gaura, foxgloves. True, it surprised me this morning doing a … Continue reading
Old Garden Notebooks
Anybody else keep theirs? Found this entry from April 1985, when all things horticultural were then confined to a small plot in a community garden a couple miles from our apartment: “Gophers running amok, seemingly in my garden alone. Can … Continue reading
Closeup (Salvia semiatrata)
Of a triangular, dark green, corrugated leaf, of a delicate, jewel-toned flower in cobalt blue, calyces of plummy purple. You bring it home, where it sprawls, hides its flowers, sprawls some more, and starts numerous fights with its neighbors. So … Continue reading
Posted in essay, Plant Portraits
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Fun with Fishhook Senecio
Some backstory, which begins improbably enough with tulips. The two plants would seem to have nothing whatsoever in common, but that’s the joy of backyard Frankensteinian horticultural experiments, where you’re mad scientist in chief. And if you get up early … Continue reading
Posted in essay, Plant Portraits
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