Weeds and Their Control: Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Karen Common sorrel is a short-lived perennial weed also known as sheep sorrel and red sorrel. It is a native of Europe and Asia and probably came to America in the…
Plant Profile: Bearberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)
This evergreen shrub native to central China is one of the best broadleaf evergreens for a groundcover. It offers attractive leaves, small fragrant white flowers in spring, bright red berries…
Mushroom Fairy Rings
Have you every noticed that after a rainfall in spring or summer mushrooms spring up unexpectedly everywhere and are especially noticeable in lawns? The mushrooms may be small or large…
Plant Profile: Redvein Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus)
This deciduous upright shrub is a native of Japan where it grows in open woodlands offering three seasons of beauty. In spring, it produces pendulous clusters of delicate bell-shaped yellowish…
Book Review: Mother Nature’s Herbal
Judith Griffin presents a unique look at herbs based on twenty years of travel and research to study the foods, herbs, and medicines of indigenous cultures. She collected folktales, recipes,…
Botany for Gardeners: Taxonomy of Monocots-The Iris Family (Iridaceae)
The Iris Family (Iridaceae) takes its name from the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris. It is comprised mostly of herbaceous plants, some of which are commercially important for their…
Plant Profile: Mirror Plant (Coprosma repens)
Although mirror plant is considered a weed in its native New Zealand, it has naturalized in California where it is grown for its orange-red berries in late summer and its…
Five Sedges for Containers
Most people think sedges are grasses. They certainly look like grasses but they aren’t; they are a different and distinct group of plants that belong to a different family, the…
Plant Profile: Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum x watereri)
There is probably no more beautiful sight in the garden than a golden chain tree in bloom with its long dense pendulous chain of yellow pea-like flowers in spring. As…
Book Review: A Fresh Twist on Fabric Folding
Combining her interest in origami and quilting Rebecca Wat presents six techniques and twenty projects for three dimensional designs including garden favorites such as flowers and butterflies in addition to…