~ A somewhat autobiographical look at how plants have impacted my life ~
We’re Having a Heatwave
The weather in San Diego experienced extreme heat and humidity from July through September, culminating in a record-breaking six-day heatwave in early October. Though a tropical storm brought much-needed rain, many plants suffered distress, showing signs like wilting and yellowing leaves. The heat caused chlorophyll breakdown, revealing other pigments and stressing roots, impacting nutrient transport. Various plants, including agaves and hibbertias, sustained damage, with some dying due to excessive sun exposure. Conversely, tropical plants in shaded areas thrived. As autumn approached, signs of seasonal change and the beneficial rain provided hope for recovery.
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 each year and gathering garden writers and bloggers. It provides
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 Travis and west of town, it was near the center
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 in Baja, Mexico. Our group was composed of seven guests,
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 the stunning Desert Garden. I first visited the Huntington in
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 EcoCamp with views of Torres de Paine, saw two pumas,
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, four thousand years old in fact. I’m talking about the
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 Southern Scotland and Northern England with the Hardy Plant Society
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 in the 1980s that they were occasionally offered for sale
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 were finally able to take the trip this April and
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 back in 2012 and 2013. We were especially looking forward
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 Anza-Borrego State Park on Sunday, February 18, 2023, to check
Castle Hot Springs
Getting There In October 2022, on our return from a bicycling trip in Carolinas’ Blue Ridge Mountains, we stopped in Arizona for a short stay at Castle Hot Springs hosted by Scott’s brother and his wife. Heavy thundershowers that day