Hello! Been a very long time. Not sure anyone is still out there in Wild Suburbia cyberspace. Are you there? If you are out there, I have a lot to report. This summer my garden mostly had to fend for itself while I was driving cross-country from west to east and then back again, logging […]
Milo
Preparing your new plant for planting
One of the great things about being a beginner at something is that you have nowhere to go but up. Here’s my second attempt at creating short how-to garden videos. Notice that I did listen to your gentle suggestions, please keep them coming. Still way too serious for my own good but you will notice […]
Home again
We have been home for eight days after six months in India, oh my, it feels good. I promised to give an update on how my wild suburban garden did during our absence and I am happy to report that it did just fine. We left for India on December 1, entrusting our house to […]
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
The music has been going through my head all day. This morning I decided the irrigation system was due for a tune-up. Starting early, I worked and worked, moving, lifting and adjusting sprinkler heads. And then after hours of work, I got to conduct the irrigation system, using my iphone, no less. It was so […]
In the beginning
In the heat of the summer of 1999 I take pieces of scrap paper and sketch the long, narrow parkway bed on the east side of our corner lot. It is about 170 feet long and six feet wide, and covered with weedy grass. Two books, Bob Perry’s Trees and Shrubs for Dry California Landscapes, […]
Front Parkway (Part 3)
Looking back at the October posts I wrote on the front parkway project, I am feeling good about how things are progressing. On October 19th , the weedy grass in the parkway was dug out by men younger and stronger than me. It was a pleasure to watch this part of the project proceed so […]
Dividing Irises – Part 2
A little more than a month ago (October 14) I dug up a few Pacific Coast irises from the woodland garden to transplant to a new location – one that won’t make such an appealing doggie bed for Milo. I started in October because I could see the irises were coming out of dormancy. After […]
Home Sweet Home
After being away for three weeks it is so nice to be home! Sun is shining, Milo is whining, and the yard is abuzz with bees. The plants all made it under the attentive care of my husband. The weather was cooperative but still, didn’t lose a one. Good going, Jim! Milo keeps careful watch […]
Picking Plants for a Carefree Native Garden
Very excited to be giving a talk on “Native Plants for the Lazy Gardener” at Tree of Life Nursery this Saturday, October 23rd. Just as a tickler, here is the first slide. If Milo can’t teach us how to take it easy then no one can!
7 in bloom, 3 ready to go
With less than a week to go, there are seven potted sunflowers in bloom. And several more are just about there. Each morning I check the pots, watering those that are dry, especially on hot days like today and tomorrow. The mammoth sunflowers have large buds and I really hope they pop before next weekend! […]