Gardenig in state California. Tips & Guides

Here is a list of some of the most Clever Things You Should Do When Plants are Young. These tricks will enable them to have a headstart and with a healthier growth altogether.

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When we talk about native plants, we’re often referring to landscaping, but what about growing your own edible native plant garden? Native plants have adapted to where you live, after all, and unlike, say, your usual tomatoes and strawberries, native edibles have new flavors and scents to try. Meanwhile, planting edible native plants helps to forge a connection between the way we live now, and the way communities in the West have existed for thousands of years. “Just growing these plants is a way to tap into the continuum of time,” says Evan Meyer, the executive director of the Theodore Payne Foundation. “By growing edible plants, your garden can become a much more meaningful place.”   

The day I meet David Godshall, one of the founding members of the progressive landscape architecture firm known as Terremoto, I climb the concrete steps outside his home in East Los Angeles, open a worn hinged gate, and see his garden for the first time. What I find is not quite what I was expecting, yet it makes perfect sense. Rather than the composed plants and austere rigor of the poolside landscaping Terremoto designed for actor Mandy Moore, for example, Godshall’s own garden is a tangle of mostly native and low-water plants, placed in a way that seemed haphazard but that the plants seemed to love. A dirt path is surrounded by bursts of unruly pitcher sage, sprawling California buckwheat, and Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’, all flourishing under the canopy of a Western sycamore. Cross-sawn timber planks from fallen local trees that otherwise would’ve been pulped weave through the yard like mini-bridges for his kids to play on. Raised beds tumble down the slope. A fashionable composter (yes, there is such a thing) sits under the eaves of a house that’s been painted black. Meanwhile, in one corner, a clawfoot cast- iron bathtub sits on a humble wood-plank base. This, I find out later, is where Godshall likes to bathe. 

The latest trending motif in design? Nature everything! That’s probably why wood and faux bois garden stools are everywhere right now. Yes, a stylish tree stump is the chicest place to sit or display items. They can be used in the garden, of course, but they’re great for the home, too. They add a little bit of warmth and a natural aesthetic to any room, from a spot to set a coffee cup or table lamp in your bedroom, to an extra perch for a houseguest in your living room, to a place to display a candle or diffuser in the bathroom for a spa-like feel. And in the garden, well, they just blend in and become the perfect spot to sit and enjoy some fresh air.

You don’t often hear about sizable bathrooms feeling cramped, it’s usually a small bathroom feeling like tight squeeze. But that was the case in this San Rafael, California primary bathroom, which “felt dated and felt a bit cramped considering what a large space it is,” according to interior designer Corine Maggio of CM Natural Designs, who oversaw the project.

Grant Almquist lives in a landmark. His bungalow is part of a compound known as Casa Blanca, which was built by the Kellogg family in the ’30s in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and later turned into a resort in 1958. It just so happens that Almquist’s casita was once the pool cabana, while neighbors live in the former library, restaurant, and gift shop.

We all know that as the Earth’s climate warms up, conserving water is important, and that the best way to do that is with natives and low-water plants. But one of the lovely benefits of native plants is that greenery suited to its particular climate looks like it belongs. “A low-water garden feels and looks right in much of the West,” says June Scott of June Scott Design in Los Angeles, California.

Otherwise known as toyon, California holly, or Christmas berry, Heteromeles arbutifoliais an excellent slope-stabilizing and habitat plant, host to myriad insects including pollinating butterflies and moths.An iconic staple of California chaparral and oak woodland

If you have a large unutilized space beneath a large tree in your garden, this list of the Best Plants to Grow Under the Oak Tree will help you out.

California coffeeberry, also known as California buckthorn, is an excellent choice for drought-tolerant wildlife gardens.This species can grow up to 15 feet tall and spread

If you love growing common sage in your herb garden and live in a warm area, you’ll want to consider adding Cleveland sage into the mix.Salvia clevelandii, also known as California blue, frag

If you like the pop of colors in your garden and want to include the best flowers for it, then check out these Best Types of Zinnia Varieties!

Garlic is such a phenomenal bulb that there’s an entire California restaurant devoted to it. The original location is in San Francisco and it’s called, The Stinking Rose: A Garlic Restaurant.I’ve walked past its aromatic do

Can You Grow Durian in California? is a question that many gardeners in the Golden State might ask, given the popularity and unique taste of this tropical fruit. Let’s explore the potential factors that will clear your doubt!

You gotta love a plant that makes you do a double-take. One that really makes you pull your shades down for a second, unobstructed eyeful. Take the buttonbush, for example.At first glance, your gaze may pass over a buttonbush’s ro

Using plant-based soaps is not something new and dates back to 1500 BC. Using plant-based soaps are organic and comes with the benefit of no chemicals and thus won’t harm your skin. Here is a list of Plants that Can be Used as Soap!

I adore the variety of the changing seasons, from the quiet blanket of snow in the winter to the blissful feeling of sun on my skin during the summer.But when Old Man Winter is on

If you are a fan of palms but live in an area that witnesses low temperatures, then don’t worry. We have some beautiful, Most Cold Tolerant Palm Trees for you!

Ancient Rome in California Enroute to New Zealand, we spent a couple of night in Los Angeles and managed to visit the Getty Villa in Malibu – an extraordinary confection filled with priceless treasures in a Hollywood setting. The gardens are planted with plants that would have been familiar to the Romans and although they have struggled with the ongoing drought they did work rather well and looked far more authentic than many of the ‘gardens by the square yard’ that a feature of LA.

California is a major stop along the Pacific Flyway for spring migration. Almost a billion birds of hundreds of different species pass through the West on their way north. The state holds a variety of key habitats for these migrants, which may include your backyard or local park.

Castor oil is not limited to its use in beauty products, and there are many ways you can use it, your yard included! Let’s have a look at some of the Best Castor Oil Uses in the Garden!

A Zinnia Sabbatical I love zinnias, but after last year’s dreadful summer when they hated the endless wet – and the cold spring when it seemed nothing was ever going to get going – somehow I didn’t get round to sowing them. And now I’m regretting it.

We all know ginger – a tasty culinary herb (or, more accurately, a spice) that you can buy practically anywhere.Whether you’re using the whole root, paste, or powdered form, it’

We have handpicked some amazing  DIY Succulents Centerpiece and Arrangement Ideas  to brighten your home without spending too much!

All nuts, with the exception of the peanut, grow on trees. Almonds grow on trees as well and are a native of the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. Almonds trees can now be found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and in California. The latter is where most of the almonds come from that are sold in the United States and other parts of the world. The United States is the biggest producer of almonds.

The fragrant and ornamental lemon trees can be a focal point of any garden! You can also grow them indoors if you know the right cultivar. Learn about the best Types of Lemon in California as the temperature goes up there to the range of 100 F (37 C).

For the past two years, farmworkers in California’s Sonoma County have been advocating for stronger labor laws to protect them from the impacts of climate change-fueled disasters, including wildfires, floods and heat waves.

I like to use the analogy of cooks vs. bakers when providing advice on annual artichoke culture. The fact is that artichoke culture isn’t exactly easy, at least in the north where few, if any of us have been able to grow artichokes as they can in California, but things have changed given new methods and new varieties. It’s going to take some time to catch on, but expect your local farmer’s markets and farm stands to start featuring artichokes as more and more local growers are discovering the potential given new methods.

Both easy to grow and incredible to look at, these Colorful Succulents can brighten up your garden and rooms in an instant! Find the best ones below!

The state’s diverse landscapes, from deserts to mountains, offer unique habitats for a vast array of wildflower species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Read on to learn about the Best Wild Flowers in California.