How to Create a Fire-Safe Garden

Firefox | August 30, 2009

30ft + 70Ft =100ft of defensible space! Lean, Clean and Green: the first 30 feet. Lean: *Create an open area near the house free of fuels, woodpiles, and clutter. *Ideally have a solid paved or clean, raked gravel walkway that allows room to walk the entire perimeter of the home. Clean: *Instead of decks and [...]

Dolores Street Transformation

Firefox | August 19, 2009

A few weeks back I posted the proposal for a garden on Dolores Street in Carmel. Today the garden was finished and I wanted to talk about the transformation. Originally, the garden, a 25 by 2o foot plot shaded by oaks and a massive pine, was spotted with a few ferns and some grasses. The [...]

Fire Safe Favorites: Fire Safe Summer Combo

Firefox | July 29, 2009

I  took this photo in the my old East Border down in Big Sur last year. It shows a great combo of fire safe plants for summer color. The combo features Aloe x nobilis with red blooms, purple flowers from Teuchrium, Scarlet Flower Carpet rose, Gaillardia Goblin, Gold strap leaves of Phormium, plus blue Perovskia [...]

Fire Safe Favorites: Cotinus

Firefox | June 14, 2009

I remember when I was small having to sit outside the Salinas City Hall one afternoon while my mother dealt with some issue inside.  The lawn was bare except for a very strange small tree growing against the white concrete wall.  The tree had big puffs of pink fluff couched among purple leaves.  Years later [...]

Fine Furniture for Fire Safe entertaining

admin | June 12, 2009

The sustainable, fully recyclable, ultra modern chic, fire-safe tables and benches by Orange 22. Epigram is the new series with quotes by Milton Glaser with proceeds benefitting the International Rescue Commitee

Forever Ember

Firefox | May 12, 2009

In the wake of the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara, CalFire officials and the USFS are ramping up their preparedness for the 2009 wildfire season. The fire in the hills above that city spread quickly due to firebrands sent aloft by the winds.     These flying embers create “spotting” where new fires erupt ahead [...]