~ A somewhat autobiographical look at how plants have impacted my life ~
Geraldton Waxflowers
The first half of our Western Australia trip was from Perth south to Albany. The second half was from Perth up to Geraldton. When we visited Western Australia in 2017, we didn’t have enough time to venture north of Perth. We’d wanted to see the famous Geraldton Waxflowers, Chamelaucium uncinatum and maybe even find the much photographed wreath flower, Lechenaultia macrantha, in bloom. So this trip was a chance to complete the tour. As it turns out our waxflower visit was to a commercial grower. And guess what? They look just the same when grown commercially there as they do when grown in California—or in landscapes all over Western Australia, like Kings Park and the freeways around Perth. Besides the
Geraldton Waxflowers
The first half of our Western Australia trip was from Perth south to Albany. The second half was from Perth up to Geraldton. When we visited Western Australia in 2017, we didn’t have enough time to venture north of Perth. We’d wanted to see the famous Geraldton Waxflowers, Chamelaucium uncinatum and maybe even find the much photographed wreath flower, Lechenaultia macrantha, in bloom. So this trip was a chance to complete the tour. As it turns out our waxflower visit was to a commercial grower. And guess what? They look just the same when grown commercially there as they do when grown in California—or in landscapes all over Western Australia, like Kings Park and the freeways around Perth. Besides the
San Diego’s New Official Flower
It’s official. Blue-eyed grass is now the official flower of San Diego. From the April 22, 2025, San Diego Union Tribune: San Diego has a new city flower for the first
The Giant’s House – New Zealand
In November of 2024, my partner Scott and I spent 14 days with the Oregon Hardy Plant Society touring the gardens of New Zealand’s South Island. In my last blog,
The Wild Dream Garden- New Zealand
This November, my partner Scott and I spent 14 days with the Oregon Hardy Plant Society touring the gardens of New Zealand’s South Island. We saw some incredible places and
Front Garden Refresh
In 1998, when we moved into our 1939 Spanish Colonial Revival house in Mission Hills, we found that despite having an acre of land, there was little space available for
Garden Fling 2024 – Puget Sound
“What is The Fling? It sounds intriguing,” I’m glad you asked. Since 2008, The Fling has been an annual event organized by local bloggers, taking place in a different city
Eclipse of the Bluebonnets
We were fortunate enough to be invited to a high school and college friend’s home near Austin to view the April 2024 total eclipse. Situated in the hills above Lake
Baja California Norte
In April, Scott and I embarked on an unforgettable botanical expedition that took us on a 1000-mile journey from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas to view the rare plant life
The Huntington
With over 130 acres, sixteen themed gardens and 83,000 living plants there are many reasons to visit the The Huntington Botanical Gardens. But for me it has always been for
Plantas de Patagonia
In December, Scott Borden, eight friends and I visited Patagonia on a Natural Habitat Adventures tour. We visited a bird sanctuary, watched a glacier calving into Lago Argentina, stayed in
Bristlecones Take Your Breath Away
Since my column is called “My Life with Plants,” it seems only fitting that I have an article about plants that are much, much older than my comparatively short life,
Northern England Gardens
I’m not exactly sure when Scott or I last toured English gardens. I’m guessing that it was sometime before 2015. So when we saw an opportunity to tour gardens in
Charming Calochortus
I’m not exactly sure when I first became aware of Calochortus. Calochortus weedii – July 2019 in the northern annex of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. I seem to recall
The California Channel Islands
We were originally scheduled to visit the California Channel Islands on a National Geographic / Lindblad Expedition in the spring 2020, but the trip was cancelled due to COVID. We
The Ruin Garden at Chanticleer
Spring of 2022 Scott Borden and I visited gardens near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. We revisited several gardens we had previously visited on Pacific Horticulture Society tours
Anza-Borrego Early Flower Show
Visit to June Wash After hearing and seeing photos online of the Sand Verbena, Abronia villosa, we decided to make a trip to June Wash in the southern part of