East Sacramentans, Rip Up Your Lawns!!!

That goes for all you other Sacramentans as well. Why do I wish you'd all rip up your front lawns and replace them with flowers and goo ga's? Because I've seen Garden Paradise. I've seen what we're missing, having spent a good part of the weekend driving around Berkeley and walking around in Oakland's Rockridge district. Our front yards are too well-behaved! They're... I'm gonna say it... boring! I don't think they accurately reflect our personalities. If they do, then yikes!

Oakland and Berkeley gardeners aren't afraid to let their opinions-- about plants, about art, about recycling, about anything-- show up in the front yard. If big blowsy red roses are dropping petals on the green Volvo still very much supporting John Kerry for president, it ain't no thang! If "Berks" have to slip on their Birks to go out front and do a little extra deadheading because Annie's Annuals and Perennials are blooming shamelessly all over the place, well, hey, crank up The Dead and let's deadhead!

Just remember, your front yard is YOUR front yard. Do whatever you want with it. Plant corn if you want to. Display that clay thing your kid made in art class. Buy one of those mooning garden gnomes and nestle it under your azaleas before they die of plant boredom. You know you want to... Put a little cafe table out front. Sit at it while drinking your coffee or your green tea. Shake things up a little.

I didn't feel like lugging around camera gear on this trip. Boy am I sorry now...

Almost forgot... I popped in to Berkeley Hort. and left with a couple Annie's plants and a gorgeous (yet reasonably priced) cobalt blue pot.