Under the Solano Sun

I had an unsightly place in my backyard where the four fences came together. At one time, I had wooden planter boxes growing herbs and flowers. But over the years the planter boxes finally gave away, and I forgot about that corner.

Whenever we visit the coast, I admire the various succulents flourishing in front yards of homes, businesses downtown, the Mendocino Botanical Garden, and at the nurseries.

There is a lot to love about bulbs, especially ones that can naturalize in our clay soil. One I have had success with are Narcissus, especially the tazetta hybrid Paper White.' When the bulb is able to naturalize it starts producing more and more bulbs.

I've never used a cloche, so I thought it was time to experiment with a modern cloche. If you're unfamiliar with a cloche (in French cloche means bell), it's a bell-shaped plant cover. Invented in 1623 in France,* cloches were initially made from glass.

I would love to have some of that beautiful chard a small voice called out as I was locking the shed at Avant Garden, where I volunteer as the garden coordinator. The sun was setting over the Carquinez Strait, the infamous Benicia wind was picking up as the temperature was quickly dropping.