Under the Solano Sun

If you've ever visited a local fair, you might have seen rows of vases filled with beautiful, perfectly formed flowers with prize ribbons proudly attached and wondered who the people are that entered and won these contests.

In November, as I was strolling in the local park, I noticed a stand of tall shrubs with beautiful, colorful orange and red berries. Some of the shrubs formed an arching tunnel along the path.

These aeoniums are long-time valued residents in my backyard. They are very common succulents, but I am fond of them. Being a new gardener (with no green thumb!) any plant, no matter how common, that survives in my backyard, deserves care and devotion.

Are you bored with the occasional tomato, pepper and aphid-riddled broccoli crown? Growing vegetables at home from seeds and seedlings from the box stores is easy, but the results can often be disappointing. There is a more rewarding way to grow vegetables that by design only gets better every year.

This is about one of those OMGit's really true! moments. I am a newbie Master Gardener who sometimes doesn't take gardeners' conventional wisdom seriously simply because it seems unlikely. I had heard for years that one might need both male and female holly plants to get berries.