Plant Selection

Yarrow (Achillea) performs in cool coastal settings, and the flowers provide perfect landing pads for butterflies.

Belgian endive can be successfully grown in Santa Clara County as a cool weather green. The plants need to be started in the summer. In late fall, they are harvested, trimmed, and transplanted into damp sand where they are kept cool and dark. Six plants will yield weekly salad greens from December through…

Miscanthus sinensis, Wikimedia Commons Whether you want to create a naturalistic meadow, showcase a dramatic backlit border, or line a path, ornamental grasses are up for the job. Ornamental grasses and other grass-like plants like rushes and sedges are easily grown and work with many garden styles.

Information on Gardens and Landscaping, Plants and Seeds, Orchards and Trees and Research; plus planting guides for the north valley and foothills.

Gardening in Tahoe is not like gardening in the valley or many other places in California. The microclimates, elevation, and cold weather are just some of the things that make the area distinct, and a distinct challenge for those of us who love to dig in the dirt.

Wisteria sinensis, Wikimedia Commons Vines are usually grown for a purpose: to cast shade over an arbor, hide an unattractive chain link fence, or splay out over a hillside. If you're considering adding a vine to your garden, it is critical that you know its ultimate size.

We invite you to join our public tomato trial and be a citizen scientist! Help us gather information by growing trial tomatoes in your garden and reporting the results.

Lilies are amongst the most popular bulbs. Julia Kadel, Unsplash If you love showy flowers, bulbs are for you. Bulbs, corms, and tubers store the food that keeps the plant alive during dormant periods.

Spring Garden Fair native plants descriptions. California native plants have evolved to be well adapted to our dry summer/wet winter climate, and they support native birds and insects. They are generally water-wise choices for landscaping.

Chinese pistache, Wikimedia Commons Leaves are so ubiquitous that it's easy to overlook all the benefits they provide and the transition many experience. There's science behind a crimson burning bush (Euonymus), brilliant golden Ginkgo, or neon-orange Japanese maple (Acer palmatum).