Napa Master Gardener Column

Many of our commonly cultivated house and garden plants contain toxins. During my 35-plus years in veterinary practice, I treated many patients for either known or suspected toxic plant ingestion. For the most part, plants that are poisonous to pets are equally dangerous to children.

Kale has the reputation of being a superfood. This is one of those vague terms scorned by experts, dietitians and scientists but loved by marketers. Kale is, indeed, high in vitamins and fiber.

Recently a fellow Master Gardener recommended I read Inherited Silence by Louise Dunlap. The book is described as an insightful look at the historical damages early colonizers of America caused and how their descendants may recognize and heal the harm done to the earth and the native peoples.

We all have family histories, the stories we learn as children that become part of who we are as adults. Usually, we gather these stories and history from people, books, or classes, but sometimes we find history in the garden. Growing up, I heard stories about plants in the garden.

It all started with an abandoned plant. Twelve years ago, as I was moving into my new home, I noticed a sad-looking plant in a plastic pot at the far end of the front yard. It had been out in full sun for, I guessed, quite a few days and was very dry.