admin | May 14, 2012
While roses are almost never recommended in popular fire safe literature. I have found that they make the ideal fire safe plant for several reasons. They are colorful and easy to care for. They are actively gorwing in summer, making them less likely to burn easily. Roses require regular maintenance while not building up dead [...]
admin | April 18, 2012
Ok, I must admit, I am cheap. I mean not Jack Benny cheap; he used to say that when he opened his wallet he could hear birds sing (Cheap, cheap, cheap). But I have a habit of being a bit conservative when I am purchasing new plants. About a month ago I was immersed in [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Firefox | May 21, 2009
The new East Border is looking so good right now I had to take a few photos. It’s hard to believe these beds are only 6 months old! Though there were a few things that survived from the old scheme, like the magnificent Purple Robe Cotinus in full bloom. Out of the fire comes flowers, [...]
Firefox | March 17, 2009
Every time I give a talk, I will mention mulch. I get lots of questions from the audience and it turns into the “mulch hour”. What is a simple way to improve your garden overnight? Mulch! What is mulch? Mulch is layer of organic matter, usually chopped bark, compost, chopped leaves, [...]