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Deer Resistant Native Plants
Have you ever had your garden ravaged and chewed to a stub? You may know what true frustration is, and you will also understand where our much used phrase “oh dear” comes from! -
A Crooked Path to a Native Garden
This was my big backyard in Oakland Hills - the project I had wanted for so long. I saw a perfect native plant garden in-the-making. -
Gardening for Butterflies
Nectar-bearing plants will bring butterflies, but all-around butterfly gardening means living with caterpillars, chewed leaves and some untidiness. -
My Custom Chaparral
Like any garden, my custom chaparral is a work in progress. As it continues to evolve, I plan for an even better slope garden next year. -
Buckwheats in the Garden
If you have ever admired a flowering buckwheat, you might consider celebrating the genus Eriogonum in your garden. -
Artemisia in the Garden
California Artemisia species can make an ornamental and often aromatic addition to native habitat gardens -
Pruning Native Plants – Part 4
Assessing a tree's health throughout the year is a crucial prerequisite to pruning.Here we learn the best techniques for pruning California native trees in the fall and winter. -
Pruning Native Plants – Part 2
Seasonally appropriate pruning and ideas for various garden styles. In the spring, there is time to learn the basics to healthy cuts and selecting the right tools. -
Pruning Native Plants – Part 1
Native gardens sometimes need a bit of pruning. When you think about pruning any plant, ask yourself what do you want to change, and what do you want to achieve? -
Pruning Native Plants – Part 3
Proper pruning techniques can help enhance nature's beauty. Take a look at woody California native plants and consider how pruning might best improve each plant. -
Build It and They Will Come
After a garden overhaul, a homeowner can't believe how quickly and how many birds find the garden. -
The Big Rains of December
Too much rain too soon can cause shrubs to wilt and either die or suffer great losses of foliage.
