Lovely Tamora
I was looking for an apricot/pink rose that would end up being about 3 1/2′ tall when mature, so when our guests woke up in the morning, they had a view of the roses at the base of their window. So I called Elizabeth Everdell, talented SF landscaper, to pick her brain. She knows her roses! […]
The Hearty ‘Iceberg’
White roses, to me, are a must in a garden for there is nothing more beautiful than green & white in a garden (to me). While you can certainly choose some stunning white rose specimens like ‘Pope John Paul II‘, I like to mix them with some work horse white roses. The ‘Rosa Iceberg‘ is that white rose […]
Snowballs in March
One of the plants that is such a joy to watch emerging in our garden is viburnum. While I have two varieties in the garden, my favorite is my ‘Snowball viburnum’ (common name) or Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’. (This is the Eastern snowball variety, rather than the larger Chinese snowball variety). There are over 150 known varieties of […]
Dogwoods in bloom
Our ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ is in bloom again and its appearance truly marks the beginning of spring. Its beautiful white flowers are some of the first to appear in the garden. They only last about a month, sadly, but we savor every moment we have them. We have tried different dogwood varieties over the years, […]
Mint Tea
I decided to grow some herbs I can use for tea infusions and started with one of my favorites – mint. I chose spearmint, as it is the most popular mint to use for teas, and also works well for recipes in the kitchen. Mint has all kinds of health benefits. It aids digestion (great […]
Yellow Rhododendrons
I found these yellow rhododendrons at Whiting’s Nursery in St. Helena many years ago and couldn’t believe how beautiful they were. Our home is yellow so I’m always on the hunt for yellow flowers and plants. While Whitings is no longer in business, my three beautiful plants are! They bloom for about two weeks in March and […]
Peas in a pod
About a month ago, I planted some ‘Mammoth Melting’ climbing snow peas. I’ve been tending to them meticulously after I failed to grow them last year. (I planted them too late in the season and they didn’t like the heat. And, something “ate” them – I never figured out exactly what or who!). I was […]
Incoming peach blossoms
March is the time of year when all of the fruit trees are covered with an array of dark pink (like this yellow peach tree), light pink and white flowers (my Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji Apples). It’s also the time of year we can get a surprise heavy rain, which can ruin the flowers, […]
Peonies already?!?
I was so focused on getting my beans planted and my peas trellised yesterday that I almost overlooked my first peonies of the season! That would have been a huge miss. I have nearly 100 of these peonies between two plants, with more buds about to open. I can’t believe how show-y and happy these peonies are. […]
It’s Time to Plant Lettuces!
Three weeks ago, I planted some lettuce starters in my garden hoping it wasn’t too soon. When I returned from a two-week vacation, I had lettuce ready to eat. Planting lettuce this time of year produces HANDS DOWN the best lettuce of the season – tender and sweet. Lettuce definitely prefers the cooler weather we have in […]
A Living Memory at Kauri Cliffs
Josie and Julian Robertson envisioned and developed three incredible properties in New Zealand – Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown), Cape Kidnappers (Hawke’s Bay) and Kauri Cliffs (Matauri Bay). They are very tastefully done and beautifully integrated with the natural landscape of each area. Sadly, Josephine passed away in 2010, and while I never knew her, her memory […]
The English Garden
My English friends and fellow gardeners introduced me to a magazine called The English Garden. Recently re-acquired by Paul Dobson and The Chelsea Magazine Company, Paul is bringing back the magazine he founded nearly 15 years ago. English gardens are my absolute favorite, so you can imagine how I poured through it on the return flight home. […]
New Zealand inspiration
Having traveled around New Zealand for the past couple of weeks, I am in awe that an entire country has been able to choose non-GMO as a policy. I’m yet to find someone who puts pesticides on their fruit or vegetables, so I’m assuming the country is mostly organic too, although it may not be […]
Vegetable garden at Cape Kidnapper’s, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to visit local gardens – especially vegetable and fruit gardens. It’s a bonus if we’re staying at a hotel where they have their own vegetable garden that is used in their restaurant! I seek out the head gardener (if possible) and get a thorough tour […]
Adventure at Clearview Winery, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
What a wonderful and chance encounter at Clearview Winery in Hawkes Bay. Tim Turvey, the inspiring owner, greeted us as soon as we arrived and we got an animated tour of everything he has built there – winery with many varieties of grapes, an interesting cave, vegetable garden, fruit garden and restaurant which uses all of the produce from the […]