It’s summertime and the sippin’ is easy. No time to make a fruity syrup or fancy infusion for your cocktail? No problem, here’s a simple straight-from-the-garden idea for making a refreshing drink with seasonal charm. Stroll out to the garden and pluck a handful of ripe berries. My raspberries are finishing up while […]
This spring, the so-called “super bloom” of California, has received a lot of attention, thanks to social media. Selfie-seekers and satellite photos have really fueled an interest in a phenomena that has happened for a millennia (not specifically for “millennials”, although many may argue that point). In 1868, John Muir wrote, during a visit to the Santa […]
I love this time of year. The days are short and the light bends low around the earth. We reap the final rewards of the season and hopefully take a moment to celebrate while, maybe, thinking how we might do it differently when we have the chance to do it again – and usually, in the […]
You would think a garden blog about shrubs would be about the best “woody perennials”, but there is another kind of “shrub” worth talking about…and they are for drinking. Also known as drinking vinegars, the word “shrub” is a Colonial word for a sweet fruity vinegar. Originally the result of old-fashioned fruit preserving methods, the […]
Color is an important aspect of most gardens, of course, along with texture, form and scale. But when it comes to planting the vegetable garden, people often don’t think about color with the same sense of significance. Happily, it doesn’t have to be that way…color can be fun and tasty as well. Harnessing […]
The premise is simple; take what’s outside, bring it inside and eat it. What’s in the garden right now? Weeds and citrus, that’s what. All types of citrus hit the spot at this time of year, so they are easy to add to everything. .. and the weeds…well I find the best way to deal […]
What edible plant takes little summer water, contributes color to the landscape and adds flavor to salads, pestos and more? Answer; Common Arugula’s louder, brighter, cousin “Wild Rocket”. This assertive member of the mustard family, Diplotaxis tenuifolia, is also known as Sand Rocket, Italian Rocket, Rucola Sylvetta and Rustic Arugula, depending on who you ask […]
It’s time to talk about espaliers. Not only because winter and early spring is the best time of year to consider planting or making one – but also because I’ve noticed a couple of mis-conceptions about this useful garden form among my design clients, so I think it’s time for an overview. A review […]
Many pickles capture the bounty of summer but this year, my pickles captured the essence of community as well. I haven’t made pickles in quite a while but I was inspired by the delicious “half-fermented” pickles I sampled at Saul’s Deli, in Berkeley, earlier this year, and decided to make easy refrigerator pickles that don’t […]
My garden had some special visitors recently, when my niece and my god-daughter came to visit for a couple of days. The girls both love exploring the outdoors, cooking and learning new things, so it was a natural that we would head out to the garden to see what we could nibble and pick. […]
per joy 