Under the Solano Sun

I am not a native plant specialist, although when choosing plants for my garden I will lean towards plants listed as natives. In the last couple of years, I have run across the terms endemic and native in the same conversation.

At the Master Gardener Garden Tour last Sunday, several Master Gardeners gathered around a gorgeous mound of magenta flowers, snapping pictures and asking each other what kind of plant it might be. A quick Google search identified it as a Pelargonium, often mistakenly called a Geranium.

It had been a good day in the garden. I had gotten to spend six hours working in the back yard. Digging up some of the garlic chives in the raised bed had allowed me to plant a tomatillo and African blue basil.

At the end of fall last year, I decided to redo the planter boxes on the outside of my deck. They had a variety of sage and salvia as plantings within. The plants were old and not looking well, so I decided it was a chance to plant something new.

I saw an advertisement for the California Honey Festival last year and was unable to go. Fortunately, the opportunity arose again this year and I was able to attend this past weekend.