Behind the Scenes

About Beans… Dried beans are the workhorses of our pantries.  They are high in protein, low in fat, low in cholesterol, and high in complex carbohydrates (the “good” carbs), too. With so many people making the shift to plant-based diets, beans are taking on a bigg

Oh to be an artist and fill my garden with art! Alas, that is not my calling. Still, I can make my garden into art and you can, too, by following my simple strategies for adding pottery as art to your garden. While the many beautiful pots on the market may tempt you, do your best avoi

A number of years ago, I was touring gardens in Shady Canyon, then a brand new development of grand homes in Irvine, California. The homes wound up and down the side of a hill – each property with a gorgeous view. As we stood in the backyard of one home under construction, I looked do

— Nan Sterman People often ask where the ideas for episodes of A Growing Passion come from. Some come from places I’ve written about or projects I know from the decades I’ve been a journalist. Some are topics that fascinate me or pique my curiosity. Some come from producer Maria

— Nan Sterman On the last garden tour I led to England, I was impressed to see how all the gardens, both formal and informal, included spaces for bees and other pollinator insects. Every private garden we saw included wild grasses and blooming wildflowers – what US gardeners wou

— By Nan Sterman This week’s episode of A Growing Passion is “Distant Roots and Tasty Shoots,” a visit to the San Diego Zoo’s amazing plant collections. We tour the Zoo’s orchid house in one of the segments. The orchid house is actually two small greenhouses and an outside area

By Nan Sterman The story behind Homegrown Hops, Local Flavor for Local Brews starts a few years ago.  My daughter called me just before my husband’s birthday. “Mom,” she said, “Groupon has an offer for a beer brewing kit – we should get that as a gift for Dad.” Of course we shou

This week’s episode of A Growing Passion takes us behind the scenes with the San Diego Zoo and Zoo Safari Park’s amazing horticulture staff. My long time friend Stephanie Shigematsu is the Zoological Society’s Curator of Horticulture, which means she oversees everything plants.

–Nan Sterman From Anza Borrego Desert to the beaches at La Jolla, this is San Diego County’s garden tour season. This time of year, gardeners open their gates and invite the public in to enjoy the fruits (sometimes literally) of their labors. If you love seeing what’s behi