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, [...]