Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Visit to the Sacramento Old City Cemetery Native Plant Demo Garden



As I sit in my living room recliner trying not to think about the fact that my fourteen-year-old boy is out wandering dark streets dressed-- in a rather impromptu fashion-- as a "frat boy", complete with toga (bed sheet) and sideways tie-on-the-head... I welcome the distraction of blogging about why I spent a few hours Sunday at the Old City Cemetery.

When I was in college, I did an internship at the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Sacramento Chapter's Native Plant Demonstration Garden at the cemetery. Having recently reconnected with my internship sponsor, she invited me to come by for one of their organized tours and asked if I'd take some pictures.


Seeds for sale, refreshments and literature


The tour


Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) and California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

The demo garden is an interpretive garden designed to show the public how native plants can be grown in an urban environment and how they provide much-needed wildlife habitat. It's a win-win situation because many of the plots being cared for by CNPS volunteers are no longer maintained by family members of the departed.


Woolly Blue curls (Trichostema lanatum) and Bush/Golden Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus)



Many of the garden's natives are attractive to bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, creating a much-needed refuge right off busy Broadway and Riverside. Most of the natives are also extremely drought-tolerant and can exist on natural rainfall once established.


Bee on Woolly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum)


Bird's nest in a manzanita shrub


Aristolochia californica
Dutchman's Pipe Vine





Epilobium canum
California fuchsia, Hummingbird Trumpet



Heteromeles arbutifolia
Christmasberry, Toyon, California Holly



Heteromeles arbutifolia 'Davis Gold'
Yellow Berry Toyon


Gardeners and photographers love the cemetery because not only is it a very restful place-- extremely restful... doesn't get any more restful-- it also contains a beautiful Historic Rose Garden, the CNPS Demo Garden and many very tenderly cared for plots exploding with life and color. And there's history there. And events. It's actually a pretty happenin' place.

If you're interested in Sacramento history, California native plants, or roses, it's also a great place to volunteer.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Karen Baumann in the Chron.

There's an article on SFGate.com about Karen Baumann, the east Sacramento resident who dared to plant a front yard garden containing... edibles.

San Francisco Chronicle

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Autumn in the garden


Coleus 'Dipt in Wine' (thank you, cloverann, for reminding me of the cultivar name)


Stock


Rumex, Heuchera and trailing snaps in my Target wall planter


Volunteer zinnia


Echeveria in a biodegradable rice hull pot


Amazing how a pressure washer revitalized my Costco-purchased teak outdoor dining set. Bonus points if you can spot the dog chew toy!


Hummingbirds have been loving my Salvia leucantha. It froze to the ground last winter.


Japanese anemone


Coleus 'Royal Glissade'


My apple green chair planter is on its last legs (literally), but is hanging in there. I just replanted it with cool-season color.


Purple ornamental kale seems made for this pot I brought back from Mendocino

Monday, October 15, 2007

Windmill Nursery Open House Pics & Video

I blogged about the upcoming Windmill Nursery Fall & Christmas Open House & Charity Event back in August and attended the event Saturday evening. The nursery looked great, with lushly planted demo beds (and more to come), container plantings, new signage on plants, Christmas displays and outdoor lighting.

Before night fell, I snapped a few pics of the nursery, inside and out.


Andrew talking to nursery reps.


Cheryl snapping me snapping them


Citrus


Wide selection of plants from Blooms, Annie's, Monterey Bay and more.


New cold-hardy tropical demo bed


Cool-season color


Halloween planters


Cool-season planter


Seasonal and succulent planters


Open house attendees listening to raffle results


Christmas tree display. Yes, folks, it's time to start thinking about the holidaze...

Windmill put on quite a gourmet spread, with beer, wine and catering by Carmichael restaurant La Perla Bistro . We were treated to live music by local band Fair Trade. The lead singer has a great voice and according to Windmill family member Andrew, this talented musician is also a landscaper!

CLICK TO START VIDEO


http://www.myspace.com/fairtrade

Since 10% of the night's plant sales were going to Wind Youth Services, I felt I should do my part. Shopping at a nursery at night has always been a fantasy of mine... seriously... and now I know how super fun it can be.


(night shots by Cheryl Hawes, AKA Weeder)


Like the new do? Let me just say, "How could I resist?" and let it be known that I was very gentle with this hanging plant. Perhaps I should just say "No comment."

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Special Order fruit trees from Dave Wilson Nursery

If you live in California, you can special order fruit trees through Dave Wilson Nursery and pick them up at participating nurseries. Order deadline is November 16 for Jan/Feb. shipment.

Download Order Form

Annie Hayes coming to Bushnell's next Saturday!

You won't want to miss this.

Bushnell Gardens Nursery
Annie Hayes of Annies Annuals & Perennials will host "Twilight with Annie"
Introductions of the hottest picks for the upcoming season.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2007

6:30 P.M.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Annie's Annuals Fabulous Fall Planting Party

We arrived around 11am, just in time for luscious strawberries, banana-chocolate chip muffins, grapes and drinks. Hot mess Amy Winehouse was rockin' in the background... my kinda nursery.

At noon, we were treated to a great demo by garden artist Keeyla Meadows. Keeyla showed us an easy and inexpensive way to paint and draw on clay pots. She talked a lot about color, which happens to be the theme of her next book, which I hope is published soon, soon, soon.

During our visit, two lucky ticket holders each won a 15-minute shopping spree. Of course, they had to don bright and shiny capes and crowns while dashing around the nursery filling their wagons. What price, dignity? Pretty low from what I witnessed. Hah.

After Keeyla's demo and the shopping spree announcement, I filled a flat (all the little red wagons were taken) with some cool-season color to take home. All 4" plants were 25% off.

After the festivities, demo and plant shopping at Annie's, we swung by Oakland for lunch at Genova Deli, picked up coffee beans at Cole Coffee, did a little shopping at Heartfelt, bought a cupcake at Teacake Bake Shop in Emeryville, then headed home. A great day!

We sorta spaced and ran out of time for visiting Cohn-Stone Studios, but it's still on my to-do list for someday.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Oh, to be able to clone yourself...



There's a lot going on this weekend in and around Sacramento, especially for the garden-minded:
  • Apple Hill: Ongoing Events through March
  • Saturday, October 6: 33rd Annual UC Davis Arboretum Plant Sale
  • Saturday, October 6: Bob Hamm's AIDS benefit plant sale at the Gifted Gardener (18th and J streets, 10 a.m.-3 p.m, 916-923-3745).
  • Saturday, October 6: Loomis Eggplant Festival
  • Oct. 6-7: Hoes Down Harvest, Full Belly Farm
  • Oct. 6-7: Amador Flower Farm's annual Fall Festival; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. both days; 22001, Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth. Free. (209) 245-6660. (from SacBee.com)
  • Oct. 6-7: Giant Pumpkin and Harvest Festival, with a psychedelic salute to the '60s combining pumpkin pop art, '60s music and a retro scarecrow contest; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days; Elk Grove Regional Park, 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Elk Grove. Free; park admission $5. (916) 405-5600. (from SacBee.com)
  • Oct. 6-7: Fall Plant Sale; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days; Garden and Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd. (916) 722-7442. (from SacBee.com)
  • Oct. 7: Rio Americano High School's annual Fall Garden Tour, featuring six gardens, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., in the Sierra Oaks and Sierra Oaks Vista areas. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. (916) 508-9806, (916) 283-4057. (from SacBee.com)
  • Oct. 6 & 7: Annie's Annuals Fabulous Fall Planting Party, 10am-5pm, Richmond, CA
  • Oct. 6 & 7: Cohn-Stone Studios Glass Pumpkin Garden & Sale, Richmond, CA
Take your pick! I'm heading for Annie's and Cohn-Stone on Sunday, followed by eats and shopping in Berkeley before heading home. God, I need a Berkeley fix.

By the way, all plants are 25% off at Annie's this weekend and there will be refreshments, live music and scheduled events.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Wanna try out the new UC IPM Kiosk?

Here are two... and for now it seems these are the only two... Sacramento county locations:

Sacramento County

Elsewhere in CA...

Fresno County

  • Sunnyside Branch Library—Ongoing
    5566 East Kings Canyon Road, Fresno

Lake County

  • Piedmont Lumber, Lakeport, Sept. 5 to Oct. 17, 2007

Los Angeles County

  • Los Angeles County Arboretum—Ongoing
    301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia
    (626) 821-3222
    http://www.arboretum.org

Orange County

  • UC Cooperative Extension office, Costa Mesa
    By appointment only, call (949) 733-3970
  • UC Master Gardener Fall Seminar, Costa Mesa, Oct. 20, 2007

San Diego County

  • Grangetto’s Farm and Garden Supply, May 1 to Oct. 31, 2007
    Rotating through all 4 retail stores: Escondido, Encinitas, Fallbrook, and Valley Center
  • San Diego Zoo—Ongoing
    http://www.sandiegozoo.org/
  • Plant World, Escondido, Sept. 16 to Oct. 31, 2007
  • Lowe's, Oceanside, Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 2007
  • Home Depot, Sports Arena, Dec. 16, 2007 to Jan 31, 2008
  • Home Depot, Balboa Ave., Dec. 16, 2007 to Jan 31, 2008
  • Mission Hills Nursery, Feb. 1 to Mar. 15, 2008

Santa Clara County

  • Yamagami’s Nursery, Cupertino, Sept. 4 to Oct. 15, 2007

Solano County

  • Fairfield-Cordelia Library, Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2007.
    5050 Business Center Drive, Fairfield
    707-784-2680