#ruth-bancroft-garden

#ruth-bancroft-garden

"Why should tubs be relegated to bathrooms?" Poe questions, showcasing his innovative approach to interior design by placing a bathtub in the main living area.

BBG in Bloom runs from April 1 to May 10, showcasing cherry blossoms, magnolias, and other spring flowers, with extended hours and special programs.

These are Scilla sardensis, the common name is Glory-of-the-Snow. They are native to the mountains of Western Turkey but are really comfortable growing in almost any condition, as you can see. They are, for us, the real harbingers of spring. We know that once we start to see this electric blue color, the season is starting for us.

Southern California, especially Los Angeles, has many breathtaking botanical gardens and wildflower-lined hiking trails. But it's also exciting to visit private home gardens that are rarely open to the public and find inspiration even if you don't have space for a garden at home.

"no witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world. The people had done it themselves." Carson identified human pesticide use as the cause of environmental destruction, establishing personal responsibility for nature's decline and setting the foundation for her revolutionary environmental critique.

The Eckling is designed specifically for balcony corners, addressing a gap that rectangular window boxes and round hanging pots have never managed to fill. Most railing planters sit along a straight stretch of rail, so corners get skipped entirely. An L-shaped recess cut into the base of the hemispherical bowl allows it to rest squarely on two railing legs at a corner junction, no extra hardware required.

The Eaton Fire was merciless when it came to Altadena's celebrated green spaces, destroying or damaging most of the leafy trees that lined the streets in many neighborhoods. Local advocates are scrambling to restore what was lost and save what's still standing.

All skill levels and abilities are welcome, even for moral support and comic relief. They will provide some water and maybe a snack, and plenty of well worn gloves, but If you'd like, bring some more refreshments to share or your favorite personal protective equipment.

I killed seven houseplants before I discovered the secret: I was literally loving them to death. Every morning, I'd check on them with my watering can in hand, convinced that more water meant more love. Turns out, some plants thrive when you basically ignore them. In fact, there's one particular plant that actually prefers when you forget it exists for weeks at a time.

Waterways across Contra Costa County are increasingly threatened by invasive plant species that engulf canals and drains, decreasing biodiversity and reducing safe habitats for wildlife. In an effort to address and restore the environment, the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is working to reverse that trend. The district hosted its recent 12th annual Giving Natives a Chance event at the Clayton Valley Drain near Concord's Hillcrest Community Park, inviting volunteers from across the county to plant native species around waterways and drains.

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."

This is the first Ornate Nile monitor that our animal control officer and patrol officers have encountered," she said.

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse gardens in the world. A unique urban oasis, the garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, and showcasing over 9,000 different kinds of plants from around the world. One of the most beautiful spots is the Japanese-design inspired " Moon Viewing Garden," (pictured above) located in the Mild-Temperate Climate section in the Northwest portion of the gardens. [ view map]

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.

Times are hard, but don't believe the rumors about the death of the Bay Area art scene. Yes, art institutions and galleries are closing. Yes, the techies have taken over, outpricing artists and polluting culture with their AI inventions. But there's an inherent spirit of rebellion to the region that won't be quashed so easily, and an inspired community that fights for it every day.

There is a type of rhododendron which makes a superb container plant, and even performs greatly when pot bound, since many species are epiphytes in nature. https://growplumeriafrangipani.blogspot.com/2011/04/tropical-rhododendron-vireya.html These are vireya rhododendrons. https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v32n1/v32n1-leach.htm https://rhododendron.org/vireya/index.html https://rhododendron.org/vireya/gallery.htm https://www.rhododendron.org/vireya/archive/StevensNRBGE85.pdf https://www.rhododendron.org/vireya/archive/CallardRSF2011.pdf https://www.rhododendron.org/vireya/history.htm http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v46n1/v46n1-moynier.htm Many vireya hybrids were created in the Bay Area, especially at the San Francisco Botanical Garden which was the Strybing Arboretum. https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v45n1/v45n1-morebeck.htm

Come join a volunteer work party at The School Farm every second Saturday from noon to 4 pm to lend a hand and learn about farm work. All skill levels and abilities are welcome, even for moral support and comic relief. They will provide some water and maybe a snack, and plenty of well worn gloves, but If you'd like, bring some more refreshments to share or your favorite personal protective equipment. For more info, contact sam@eco-sf.org.