— by Nan Sterman My phone has been ringing off the hook (do phones still have hooks?) and my inbox is overflowing with queries from people asking for help removing their lawns, designing new gardens, and redesigning outdated gardens. Finally, Californians are getting the message

— By Nan Sterman Having a waterwise garden means much more than simply planting unthirsty plants… To create a waterwise garden you have to look at the garden as a system in which every component contributes to water conservation. Start with soil. Whether your garden has he

— Nan Sterman Major change has come to western gardens and gardening!  This past week, I was interviewed by reporter Robin Young of National Public Radio’s Here and Now. Robin traveled to San Diego from Boston this week and was surprised to see so many people tearing out lawns.

Celebrating Balboa Park – Part V: The Exposition and Its Legacy — Nan Sterman On January 1, 1915, 50,000 bright red poinsettias welcomed visitors to the Panama-California Exposition. The choice of plants was a bit prophetic since San Diego County would soon be known as the epice

Celebrating Balboa Park – Part IV: Farms and Gardens — Nan Sterman While Balboa Park’s planners and designers were jockeying for position, the park’s horticulturists were scurrying to propagate plants for the exposition gardens. They had only five years to landscape

Celebrating Balboa Park – Part II: Planning a Park — Nan Sterman The land we call Balboa Park today, was set aside as “City Park” in 1868. It was 1,400 acres located about a half-mile outside the city of San Diego. It was coastal sage scrub decimated by grazing cattle and

— By Nan Sterman Fried egg plant and matilija poppy are two names for Romneya coulteri, a giant of the poppy family.  This big, beautiful perennial forms crepe papery flowers as large as salad plates.  The combination of white petals and bright yellow center earn this plant the

— By Nan Sterman Poinsettia season is upon us!  Growers ship out the bright red and soft yellow colored plants every day, sending them to nurseries and garden centers across the country. Thanks to late Encinitan Paul Ecke Jr., poinsettias are the plants we mostly closely associa

A Gardener’s Tale by Marianne Gerdes The brand new raised bed garden that Camera Guy built for our family has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations.  Tomatoes tower over our heads, cucumbers climb trellises growing up instead of out and, we’ve learned about a whole new

— Nan Sterman When it comes to vegetable gardening, we spend so much time and effort starting seeds, planting seedlings, fertilizing, watering and hovering over our plants. When are the fruits of our labor ready to pick? Here are some general guidelines for knowing when and how