I have been inspired by all the clever containers I have seen other Master Gardeners use to plant in. So when our decorative table fan bit the dust, I was loathe to toss it. I liked the color and the faux carving on the base.  My husband kindly snapped it so the fan portion would lie flat. He removed the heavy motor and snipped the electrical cord.I took the fan cage apart and removed the fan blades.  I layered moss in both sides of the fan cage then put in the soil and started planting. The planting space was quite shallow so I tried to choose small plants. I found some small begonias for the center then surrounded them with alyssum and scotch moss, Sagina subulata. They are doing well so far on my back patio which...

Gardeners are always finding new ways to spice up the garden. After visiting the San Francisco Garden Show, held in San Mateo, I saw a lot of new ideas about how to reuse materials in the garden.  Succulents seemed to play a big part of the reuse.  At the Sunset venue, I saw this great table made from a recycled wooden pallet.  It had this trough in the middle of the table that was planted with succulents.  Très chic!  Of course there is the ever-popular Succulent Gardens booth with their colorful varieties of succulents.  If you visit this booth, you have to sharpen your elbows and dive in.  Many of the people are fanatics about getting just the right succulent for their home.  Among the other booths, I saw the use of succulents in...

Gardening can provide exercise and reduce stress. Gardens make your surroundings more beautiful and serene, and vegetable and fruit gardens can provide healthy food for you and your family.  The downside to gardening is that it can be expensive and toxic to you and the environment.  However, with a little awareness and better choices, you can reduce the use of toxic chemicals, have a greener garden, and even reduce costs by recycling every day items. Here are a few tips for going green:

1. Reduce use of harsh or toxic chemicals.  Look for natural or less toxic methods to enrich the soils and controls garden predators. Healthy plants are naturally more resistant to diseases.
2. Consider your gardening spaces with...