Fall 2025
"Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.”
– Albert Camus
Our final newsletter of the year is brimming with ideas to keep your garden—and your imagination—thriving through the cooler months.
Discover smart ways to harvest rain, choose resilient California natives and shade-loving plants, and stay ahead of invasive plants.
You’ll also enjoy uplifting stories from our own community, including successes in our demonstration and school gardens, as well as a first look at the firescaping garden planned for MOFD Station 42 in Moraga.
And with the holiday season just around the corner, our fragrant herb garden piece is bound to spark delicious creativity in your kitchen.
This fall issue also marks our year’s close. We’ll take a short winter pause, but you can still catch a few classes, talks, webinars, and Farmers Market events during this fall season—details are on our website.
Thank you for helping our mission flourish in 2025. We can’t wait to welcome you back in January with fresh opportunities to learn, grow, and garden together. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and happy gardening from all of us at UC Master Gardener Volunteers of Contra Costa County!
Hedwig Van Den Broeck and Robin Mitchell, editors - Contact Us
Articles will be published soon!
Supply in the Sky: Rainwater Harvesting for the Win!
If you had a desire to plant a garden that not only grows veggies in raised beds, but also nurtures 5,000 seedlings for a plant sale and features a pollinator garden to help those veggies thrive, would you choose a site that has no piped-in water and no electricity?
It’s improbable that you would even give it a second thought.
How did our East and Central County Demo Gardens fare this milder summer?
This summer brought unusually cool weather to Contra Costa County. You may have noticed your own garden behaving a little differently—and you might be curious how our Master Gardener demonstration gardens responded to those milder temperatures.
Step into this fall season with an inside peek at the Rivertown demo garden in Antioch and ‘Our Garden’ demo garden in Walnut Creek..
A Seasonal Update on our West County Demonstration Gardens
West County has 2 very distinctive demo gardens: the Low Water Garden in Richmond, a Master Gardener of Contra Costa County (MGCC) demonstration garden, and the Water Conservation Garden in El Cerrito (featured above.)
This urban garden, once overrun with weeds and dead plants, is now a very beautiful natural landscape with a variety of habitats which you can visit any time of the year.
Douglas Iris Adds Color to Shady Garden Areas
Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) is a great foundational plant for a sunny or shady part of your garden. The foliage is green all year round, and when in bloom in the spring, it is a welcome spot of color in shaded areas. While they can tolerate full sun, a good location for Douglas iris in a garden is one that gets some filtered sun in the early morning but is in bright shade most of the day.
Tackling the Invasive Tree of Heaven
If you have a tree of heaven in your yard, you may be familiar with unwanted seedlings sprouting across your yard and seemingly from every nearby crack. The tree of heaven was originally brought to the United States from China in the 1800s and quickly became a fast-growing and popular ornamental shade tree. Today we know, however, that the tree has become a problem across the globe as it disrupts habitats.
Finding Beauty in the Shade on Patios, Porches, and in your Yard
Creating a vibrant shaded area is all about contrast and creativity—playing with layers and combining plants of varying heights and textures for a natural, woodland vibe.
Before you start planting, it’s important to understand the light, soil, and microclimates in space. The following steps will help you select plants that thrive and create a lush, layered retreat.
UCMG Volunteers to Create Firewise Demonstration Garden at MOFD Station 42
The UC Master Gardener volunteers of Contra Costa County are excited to announce an upcoming Firewise Demonstration Garden at the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD) Station 42 on Moraga Road. This project will showcase practical, attractive landscaping strategies that reduce wildfire risk—especially Zone Zero, the critical five feet closest to a home or structure.
Creating a Thanksgiving Herb Garden: How to grow herbs for your holiday meals
As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us start planning our holiday meals. While turkey, cranberries, and pumpkins may get most of the attention, herbs also play an important role in our Thanksgiving meals.
By following these guidelines, you can successfully grow herbs for your festive dinners—and even keep them thriving indoors to enjoy their fresh flavor all winter long.
School Gardens: Bring a Garden to Your School with Our Help
The Contra Costa UC Master Gardeners Team works hand-in-hand with teachers, staff, and parents to create, improve, and beautify school gardens throughout Contra Costa County.
Master Gardener volunteers play an important role in over forty elementary, intermediate, and high school gardens, plus a few associated after-school daycare centers.
Loose Leaves for this Fall
Autumn in the garden is full of change—and so are the updates. From must-see events to practical tips and timely reminders, here’s a quick round-up to keep you informed, inspired, and ready for the season.
Cannot find exactly what you need? Our website is packed with gardening know-how and resources waiting for you.
Summer 2025
"Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” – Hans Christian Andersen
This summer, we're focusing on science-based, sustainable gardening practices that not only support your garden but also the environment. Inside, you'll find tips on earning Firewise USA® certification, designing water-wise lawns, and insights from a UC Davis study on how plants adapt to less water. We're also spotlighting the honeybee crisis, how to support pollinators with simple watering stations, and where to turn when you need expert advice, because Master Gardeners are here to help.
Looking to dig deeper? Visit us anytime at ccmg.ucanr.edu for trusted resources and local gardening guidance.
Let’s grow smarter, together.
Hedwig Van Den Broeck and Robin Mitchell, editors - Contact Us
Neighborhood Firewise USA Certification 1-2-3
The Firewise USA® program from the non-profit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a nationwide initiative designed to help communities reduce wildfire risks by implementing fire-resistant practices. (Read More)
Lawns: Are We Loving Them or Leaving Them?
The social and cultural perceptions of expanses of turfgrass are woven into the fabric of our lives, especially for those of us who remember running out to the grass at recess to frolic and romp and let off steam. (Read More)
Smart Watering, Beautiful Gardens: Lessons from UC Davis
Imagine walking through a vibrant, blooming garden in the heat of summer—where every plant is thriving, even though it’s been weeks since the last rainfall. Is this vision wishful thinking? Maybe not! (Read More)
The Alarming Disappearance of Honeybees
The plight of commercial honeybee hives across the country has become increasingly alarming over the past year. National statistics on hive collapse continue to rise, raising serious concerns among beekeepers and UC Master Gardener volunteers alike. (Read More)
Watering Holes for Pollinators for Small-Space Gardening
Even though you have limited space for gardening, you can do yourself and your neighbors a favor by providing a water source for honeybees, butterflies, and other threatened pollinators. (Read More)
Need Help? Ask the Master Gardener Help Desk
Backed by science-based research from the University of California, we dig through expert horticultural resources to find the best answers for your specific situation. (Read More)
Loose Leaves
Summer in the garden moves fast—and so do the updates. From can’t-miss News & Events to helpful tips and timely reminders, here’s a round-up of noteworthy bits and pieces to keep you informed, inspired, and one step ahead in the dirt.
Cannot find exactly what you need? Our website is packed with gardening know-how and resources waiting for you.
Spring 2025
"The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.”
– Michael Pollan
Big Changes, Big Tomatoes, and Even Bigger Excitement!
We’ve got some juicy news—our website has officially moved to a brand-new platform! While we’re putting the finishing touches on things (including this very newsletter), everything is up and running. If you notice anything missing, don’t worry—we’re on it! Thanks for sticking with us through the transition.
Now, let’s dig into the good stuff! This spring, we’re gearing up for the Great Tomato Plant Sale (GTPS)—a gardener’s dream! Along with that, we’ve packed this issue with must-read articles on growing your own food, mastering irrigation, and keeping pesky pests in check in our Mediterranean climate.
Grab your gardening gloves, and let’s grow together!
Hedwig Van Den Broeck and Robin Mitchell, editors - Contact Us
Great Tomato Plant Sale: Bringing you veggies since 2012!
by Robin Moore
Spring is in the air! And we hope you are prepping your gardens for a season full of fresh, homegrown veggies. (Read more)
Spring Irrigation Startup
by Lori Palmquist
As the rainy season winds down and spring irrigation startup is steadily creeping toward us, it’s time to prepare your irrigation system for the busy season ahead.
(Read more)
Aphids in the Garden
by Susan Heckly and the Helpdesk Team
Aphids can be a scourge in the garden. There are over 4,000 species of aphids in the world, but fortunately, only(!) about 250 species are attracted to the plants we grow in our gardens and landscapes. (Read more)
Berries Anyone?
by David George
My “berry” favorite garden-grown treats in springtime are berries—plump, juicy blackberries, sweet red raspberries, healthy and organically-grown strawberries, and pop-in-your-mouth blueberries. (Read more)
Great Patio Container Tomatoes and Peppers for Small Space Gardening
by David George
This year’s Contra Costa County Master Gardeners Great Tomato Plant Sale supplies easy-to-grow and delicious tomato and pepper varieties for container gardening.
(Read more)
Galls on our Apple Trees
by Tina Mayer
During a routine winter pruning of 15-year-old apple trees, an unsettling discovery was made—large, brown, hard, swollen lumps clinging to the branches, even the espaliered apple trees in the front yard were not spared. (Read more)
Gardening in Our Mediterranean Climate
by Tina Mayer
Did you know that we live and garden in a rare and unique climatic zone? The Mediterranean climate exists in only 2% of the world’s land mass, found in just five regions.
(Read more)
Gardening with Kids
a UCANR Publication
Every parent has been there. You spend an hour chopping and stir-frying veggies and cooking up that perfect sauce just to hear, “This is gross!” or “I'm not hungry!”
(Read more)
This Season in the Garden
by UC Master Gardener Volunteers of Contra Costa County
Spring is the perfect time to refresh, renew, and get things in order! Here are some seasonal tasks to focus on for March, April, and May to help you stay productive and make the most of spring. (Read more)
