Under the Solano Sun

I am helping decorate for a 60th birthday party, we are talking western theme and flower arrangements. We are making them ourselves. I send a picture via text of my daylilies (Fig. 1), that I think would look good in the wine bottle centerpiece. This is the response I get: They're lethal to cats.

After returning from a lovely 10-day vacation in the greener Pacific Northwest, I went to check on the usually prolific Avant Garden share plot and was dismayed and disappointed to see our once-healthy, sturdy zucchini and squash plants covered with the evil powdery mildew! Leaves were paper thin an...

As the sun begins to get lower and our shadows become longer, it's a reminder that even in the midst of summer, fall is not far behind. With that in mind, our August gardening takes a turn toward care-taking and preparation for the seasons to come.

Warning: You may not want to read this while you are trying to enjoy your cuppa and a meal. Stinky plants. What comes to mind? For many, maybe the Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanium) the plant that produces a giant bloom every 20-40 years.

My family and I recently went for a walk through the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. There are beautiful gardens and tree groves where you can reconnect with nature and see others also enjoying the space.