Recovery from the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Fire has been daunting, with residents waiting for disaster relief payments while floods contaminate drinking water downstream.
The industrious buzz of bees tackling the dregs of cherry blossom was lawnmower-loud, accompanied by back off peeps from blackbirds nesting in the ivy.
Bergs Potter takes the cake for me, closely followed by the majolica-like planters at Williams-Sonoma and a few stylish designs from Ferm Living and Pottery Barn. These planters lean home decor over plastic planters, making them weather-resistant, durable pieces even on a wind-whipped balcony or hurricane-sacked home garden.
These beautiful cherry trees are more than a visual delight - they represent a bond between nations, a gift to our local communities, and a lasting legacy. We know after our long winters, people rejoice seeing colour and blossom, and this sea of pink will be an awe-inspiring hit of horticultural wonder.
Around a third of UK gardeners use pesticides, and our studies found that house sparrow numbers, for example, were nearly 40% lower in gardens where the pesticide metaldehyde was used. By reducing pesticide use, you can actively encourage birds back into your outdoor spaces, as they rely on invertebrates such as slugs and snails as natural prey.
The Wasteland Nomad is built from biochar and seeds of indigenous plants, which are both biodegradable materials. Biochar works like a sponge inside the soil, as it holds water, gives microbes a surface to live on, and locks carbon into the ground instead of letting it escape into the air.
The pavilion is recognized as the first building in Mexico constructed using cross-laminated timber (CLT). This system replaces conventional concrete and steel structures with mass timber, reducing the carbon footprint of the construction process. CLT panels are composed of layered wood elements arranged in alternating directions, creating structural stability while enabling prefabrication and efficient assembly.
For Staller, foraging is a "precious" and "simple" activity that one can do to connect with nature. They can experience a sense of mindfulness from gathering together, looking for food and then cooking the bounty, she said. "We are returning to the most basic part of being a human, which is eating food and celebrating it," Staller said. "It's a lost artform."
Starting plants from seed extends your relationship with the garden, gives you more control over seed sourcing, and saves real money compared to buying nursery starts, sometimes as much as 90% per plant.
To see where the moon melts over the garden,or where the bats flit, or where the air sweetens with pollen and moth-frenzy, I recommend a night walk to discern the perfect patch for it. Under this glow, we could all use a distraction-dig with a silver shovel and choose colors that swoon and moan under our satellite: dusty pinks, baby blue, lavender, white, and butter yellow gems unfurl at dusk until dawn.