(September 21, 2017)
The soil at my new place is marginal but well drained and it hasn't been gardened in a few years, so the weeds are pretty intense. A season's worth of...
(August 17, 2017)
For the first five or so years that I was a gardener, I never planted anything in August. It just seems so crazy! It's too hot, how would anything...
(May 25, 2017)
Interested in attracting more birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden? Pete Haggard, a local expert on insects and co-author, with his wife Judy, of Insects of the Pacific Northwest,...
(April 20, 2017)
If you've been wanting to learn more about native plants, here are reviews of seven of my favorite books on the subject (all available in the Humboldt County Library). Bringing...
(April 6, 2017)
Last month we talked about the importance of planning out a garden design on paper to create a beautiful space that is easier to maintain, more abundant and, at the...
(March 23, 2017)
In previous columns, I've addressed sustainability issues in landscape design. Here I'd like to focus on several functional issues. Welcoming Entries It's a good idea to provide a gracious way...
(March 9, 2017)
Whether we realize it or not, all of us are designers. And all design is ecological design in that it either hurts or helps nature, regardless of the intent. As...
(February 23, 2017)
My column last month focused on how sustainable landscaping promotes biodiversity. Following are several other important components of sustainable landscaping. Conserve water In this era of water shortages, a sustainable...
(February 2, 2017)
I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to do in this weather is go outside and muck around in the garden. I thought about writing...
(January 5, 2017)
Let's start the new year with some good news! We are constantly bombarded with bad news, most of which we can do little about. So here's the good news —...
(December 22, 2016)
People often hire me to prune their fruit trees this time of year. While I appreciate the work, most basic pruning, especially on young trees that haven't been previously damaged...
(December 8, 2016)
Take a look at your garden right now. Do you like what you see? Creating gardens that are attractive in all four seasons is one of the goals of landscape...
(November 24, 2016)
No garden is complete without a yummy patch of edible, perennial shrubbery! Even a small garden can squeeze in a few brambles, berries or 'chokes. To create a low-maintenance food...
(November 10, 2016)
What are low-maintenance plants? These are plants that are hardy in your region and adapted to local soil and climate conditions (think native plants); plants that thrive without heavy watering...
(October 27, 2016)
I can't stop eating them. There's a fig tree at the place where I am staying and I can't seem to keep them out of my mouth! It's a huge tree, maybe...
(October 13, 2016)
Low maintenance, low maintenance, low maintenance. This seems to be the mantra of gardeners today. And given our fast-paced lives, it's not surprising. Low maintenance can and should be designed...
