LED Christmas lights

(photo from HolidayLEDs.com website)

Saw this news tidbit on SFGate.com. Guess I'm not the only one having a difficult time finding LED lights in stores around Christmas time. Second year in a row for me. Right now might be a good time to buy online from places like HolidayLEDs.com. Ooh, multi-colored mini lights are on sale. Also check out their recycling program!

Deals on LEDs are scarce, but you can recycle old light strings
Susan Fornoff
Saturday, December 29, 2007

Recycle that Christmas Tree

Click here to find out how, when and where.

Pledge to recycle, win a hundred smackers

HolidayRecycling.com

One entry per household.

Participating jurisdictions: Counties of: Sacramento, Solano, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Glenn, or Yolo; Cities of: Chico, Citrus Heights, Dixon, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Rio Vista, Sacramento, Vallejo, Winters, West Sacramento, Woodland.

Sacramento Magazine's Garden Notebook, January, 2008

Sadly, I'm neither under 40 nor a Power Player (whatever that is)... but I do happen to be the focus of Sacramento Magazine's one-page Garden Notebook in the January, 2008 issue.

Garden Notebook is written by Joan Waters, Sac Mag's new garden writer. She and I chatted about my stock horticultural photography over coffee and cookies in my backyard awhile back. Be sure to check out Joan's new column, and in case you didn't catch it, she wrote about backyard birds last month and has covered other topics for Sac Mag in the past.

Click on the photo below for a sampling of January articles.



I scanned the Garden Notebook page and saved it as a JPEG. Click on the photo below to see a larger version. Or you can do what I did and pick up a copy while standing in line with the Christmas hordes at Borders Books, Raley's, etc.

Oh, and the location was Hortus Botanicus, not Bontanicus. Just a little typo. Ok, and one more correction (i.e. nit pick)... my photos are on a site built for me by Acclaim Images, not built by me. Just had to get that out. I'm a stickler for details.

Strawberry Festival Ends

After a 17-year run, the Roseville Strawberry Festival is no more.
Roseville ends its Strawberry Festival
Last Updated 12:41 am PST Saturday, December 22, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B2

A Fun(gal) solution to the Christmas tree dilemma

Famed northern California mushroom photographer, Taylor Lockwood, found a fun(gal) solution to the real versus fake Christmas tree dilemma.

By the way, his books make great Christmas presents. His latest title is Chasing the Rain, which was recently profiled in the Washington Post.

To learn more about Mr. Lockwood, click here.

(Photo from Kingdom of Fungi Home Page)

Artificial versus real Christmas tree debate rages on

New York Times

Seasonal Debate Rages Over Loveliest Branches

By J. MICHAEL KENNEDY

Published: December 7, 2007

A battle is being waged for the heart of the American Christmas tree customer, pitting the real evergreen against the once-lowly artificial tree. (Read more)

Christmas tree guilt

According to the Bee, our local utility company SMUD is suggesting that buying an artificial Christmas tree is a "greener" choice than buying a fresh-cut tree trucked in from somewhere else (Oregon, most likely).

I beg to differ. Artificial trees don't last forever, but their plastic parts do. Plus, aren't some artificial trees having lead issues? And might that artificial have been shipped in from a land much farther away than Oregon?

Let's face it... the cut trees from Oregon farms are already here. Buy one, and by all means recycle it after Christmas. Find out where to recycle by going to www.sacgreenteam.com and clicking on the Christmas tree recycling flier.

SMUD does suggest buying locally grown fresh-cut trees . If you're not wedded to the idea of a 'Silvertip' or 'Noble Fir', which don't grow well here in the Valley, then you have a couple good options:

Billy's Farm Fresh Christmas Trees
8430 Dillard Rd. Wilton, CA 95693
Phone: (916) 687-8354
FAX: (562) 498-1440
e-mail: billyschristmastrees@yahoo.com
Open: November - Weekends only
Hours: 9 am to 5 pm
Monterey Pine, Sierra Redwood, Cypress, Cedars, and Firs

Davis Ranch L. L. C.
Phone: (916) 682-2658
e-mail: davisranch@sloughhousesweetcorn.com
13501 Jackson Rd. Sloughhouse, CA 95683
http://www.sloughhousesweetcorn.com
Open: Friday after Thanksgiving to the 21st of December.
9:00 am until dusk
Douglas Fir, Monterey Pine, Incense Cedar, Sierra Redwood

Pansy pic

Just because.

Fun with Cordyline

It seems like cordyline cultivars are becoming more prevalent. I know I haven't grown it much in the past, but find myself reaching for it more and more when I'm out nursery shopping, probably because it comes in such fun colors. I'm not sure how cold-hardy it is, but will have a chance to find out soon, I'm sure.


Cordyline 'Red Sensation'


Cordyline 'Pink Something-or-other'

Tag, I'm it

I've been tagged by Leslie of Growing a Garden in Davis.

8 things for which I am thankful.

1. My baby boy, who is for the moment trapped in the mysterious and somewhat unpredictable body of a teenager.

2. My big, crazy, hilarious, Irish family. You're always there for me when I need you and we go waaaaaaaaaaay back.

3. My dogs, who daily keep my lap warm, make me feel needed, and amuse me endlessly.

4. Friends and family who make me laugh and still like me even after seeing my messy closet, office, me without makeup, the fact that I never do the dishes right after dinner, and much, much more.

5. Living in the Great Garden known as California

6. Yoga and cycling, and the fact that they make me feel good and allow me to eat more.

7. Good food and wine

8. Music

I'm tagging...

Weeder at Weeder's Garden
Trey, the Blogging Nurseryman
Eric at Gardenfork.TV
Amy Stewart at Dirt
Strata at My Bay Area Garden
Stuart at Gardening Tips'n' Ideas
Snappy at Snappy's Gardens Blog
Meloukhia at This Ain't Livin'

Amaryllis in a rice hull pot

What a great holiday gift idea from Uncommon Goods! They paired a biodegradable rice hull pot with a beautiful amaryllis bulb. You can also order it with Paperwhites or herb seeds.

Sacramentans, you can make this yourself by going to Emigh Hardware.

Organic Rice Hull Flower Gardens

December blooms

It's windy today, but I managed to snap a few pics.


Tree dahlias are still blooming!


Cigar plant (Cuphea melvillea) is still keeping hummingbirds well fed.

January 16 edit: I now think this is C. micropetala.


Princess flower (Tibouchina) is blooming.

Tis the season for (camera-shy) birds

Bird photography is torture. As soon as you get close enough to get a good shot, they fly away. The moment you walk away, they fly back to the feeders. That's just mean!



This is the best I could do with a smallish telephoto lens and additional cropping.

UC Davis: California Center for Urban Horticulture

I'd been hearing bits and pieces about this new organization for awhile and it looks like things are getting going because they now have a website!

http://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/

Here's their "About Us" statement:

The California Center for Urban Horticulture (CCUH) was established at UC Davis in early 2007 through a partnership that includes the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Cooperative Extension, the horticulture industry, professional horticulture associations, and California public gardens such as the UC Davis Arboretum. The CCUH is envisioned as a statewide hub of horticultural research and information extended to the public through nurseries and landscape professionals, educators in public schools, gardening clubs, and organizations like Master Gardeners.

Check out some of their very cool projects.

High Hand Nursery Christmas Charity Event

Tonight!

High Hand Nursery
Phone: 916-660-0117
Date: December 1, 2007
Time: 4pm-9pm
Location: 3750 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA 95650
Cost: Your generous, unwrapped toy donations are greatly appreciated.

"Have you ever roasted chestnuts? Most people only sing about it. On Saturday, Dec 1st from 4 to 9 p.m., you'll have your chance. High Hand Nursery is hosting a traditional Christmas in our century-old fruit shed.

Dating back to the early 1900s, the fruit sheds of Loomis were the hub of activity and the foundation of the town's economy. Today, they stand as monuments of a time long past and are the place where the Town of Loomis gathers for Christmas.

Take a stroll through the historic High Hand fruit sheds and the lighted garden. Listen to Christmas carols sung by local high school students, enjoy appetizers, and taste local wines.

With a donation to either charity, guests will receive 20% off purchases during the event. Or, donate to both the Children's Receiving Home of Sacramento and the SPCA and earn up to 40% off purchases. It's our way of letting you know how much your generosity is appreciated.

Join us for an old fashioned Christmas in Loomis. Enjoy chestnuts roasting over an open fire. Sing along with carolers or the chimes of the bell choir. Snack on Christmas treats. Sample wines from the Loomis Basin. It will become a fond memory of Christmastime for all."

Blotanical... where garden blogs bloom

Check out Stuart Robinson's new garden blog directory, Blotanical. Very cool. You can use this link to submit your garden blog to the directory.

Still cooking from the garden

It may be nearly December, but I'm still harvesting 'Rainbow' Swiss chard, 'Sungold' tomatoes, and 'Gold Rush' zucchini from the garden. They make a great stir-fry, along with Amy's Apple & Gouda Cheese chicken sausages. Yum... and yes, I'm trying to do a little damage control for holiday wickedness.

Dog blogging

Why? Because I'm a pretty boy. And a good boy... most of the time.


Before you go, a little tummy rub, please?


Ok, I need to get my beauty sleep now.

Thanks for the mention, Sac News & Review

... and for introducing us to a few new green blogs!

Sacramento News & Review
Green Guide > Ask a Treehugger
The blogs next door (11-28-07)

Gardener's Guide to Global Warming

Interesting article in the Seattle Times on the National Wildlife Federation's Gardener's Guide to Global Warming.

Download the full document as a PDF.

Happy Thanksgiving

(photo and recipe Bon Appétit | December 2000, via Epicurious.com)

I've got five pounds of green beans taunting me because the family Thanksgiving "dinner" is at 2:oopm and I've only managed to eat breakfast and take a shower. Hey, at least I'm clean. Still need to hit myself with a pretty stick, though.

But! I couldn't help getting on here and wishing all my garden blog buddies a Happy Thanksgiving. We may not be neighbors, but we found each other thanks to the internet (thanks, Al Gore), our love of gardening, and our compulsion to chat about gardening with kindred spirits.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope you are spending today doing something pleasant and relaxing. Or crazy and exciting. If you're with your family, it's probably a hodgepodge of pleasant and relaxing and crazy and exciting. Perhaps there's even a dash of boring or strange thrown in to keep things real.

Here's what I'm bringing to the family feast:

Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots from Epicurious.com

Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 bacon slices, thinly sliced crosswise
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup finely chopped shallots (about 4 large)

Preparation

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Pat dry with paper towels. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Wrap in paper towels; enclose in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate.)

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Discard all but 3 tablespoons bacon fat in skillet. Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Add beans and sauté until heated through, about 6 minutes. Add bacon to skillet and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Note: I made a double recipe last year and it was a huge hit so I'm making it again. Prepare as directed, but cut the butter and bacon grease way down (see comments on Epicurious), sprinkle some toasted slivered almonds on top, and you'll suddenly be everybody's new best friend.

Tree dahlia is blooming!

On my way back from the mailbox, I looked up in the sky and was startled to see that the first of my tree dahlia buds have opened! Alert the media!

Dahlia imperialis


Good thing I have a telephoto lens...

I feel like I can breathe now and won't be devastated by our first frost... 'cause I got to see these pale pink exotic beauties bloom for the second year in a row. Last year was dicier and a much closer call. They'd barely opened when we got hit with a frost that browned the foliage and scorched the petals.


Still can't believe it's a dahlia

Giving thanks for warm Novembers... yet hoping it's not due to global warming.




What's that speck? A bee coming in for a landing!

Sustainable Landscaping in Sacramento

I had an opportunity to tour several sustainable landscapes in Sacramento last Friday with Dave Roberts, a local landscape contractor specializing in sustainable landscaping. Accompanying us was front yard garden advocate Sue Jennings of Sustainable Urban Gardens. After a yummy lunch at La Bou (thanks, Dave), Dave whisked us over to several of his clients' homes in Land Park and East Sacramento that have been re-landscaped by his company, Roberts Landscape. I'm a proponent of sustainable landscaping and told Dave I'd love to see some of his gardens up close. He graciously obliged even though he's obviously a very, very busy guy!

Another term that's been coined for sustainable landscaping in Sacramento, AKA River City, is "River-Friendly landscaping".



What does "sustainable" or "River-Friendly" landscaping mean exactly? It can mean extra attention has been paid to selecting native, drought-tolerant or wildlife-attracting plants. It can also mean efforts have been made to reduce runoff from gardens into local waterways, or that soil health is preserved and that unnecessary use of pesticides is avoided. It may also mean the ubiquitous front lawn has been reduced or replaced, and that water-guzzling foundation shrubs have been replaced with River-Friendly plants.


Pink Muhly, Mexican bush sage, lantana, manzanita, etc.

As outlined by the River-Friendly Landscape Guidelines handbook, here are the main principles of a River-Friendly garden:

1. Landscape Locally
2. Landscape for Less to the Landfill
3. Nurture the Soil
4. Conserve Water
5. Conserve Energy
6. Protect Water & Air Quality
7. Create & Protect Wildlife Habitat


Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)

I really admire the fact that contractors like Dave and neighborhood advocates like Sue are working tirelessly to educate the public about the need for River-Friendly landscapes in the Sacramento region. Our dry summers, history of droughts lasting well into the "rainy season", and prevalence of runoff-sensitive creeks, lakes and rivers signal that it's time to embrace this new style of landscaping.



It's been time to embrace our Mediterranean climate, especially since Assembly Bill 2572 was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Bill gave us mandatory water meters and fees "based on the actual volume of deliveries, as measured by a water meter". You'll see that River-Friendly garden owners are watering less, but you'll also see the abundance of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds in their yards. And, hello... flowers!

Gardens can look lush without a lawn. Houses without front lawns can please the neighbors, as evidenced by the fact that several neighbors went River-Friendly after the first Robert's Landscape garden went in. From a gardener's perspective, it's just great to see something other than flat green rectangular lawns (yawn) set against the same old boxy hedges (yawn).

Whether you like a serene and formal mass of ground-hugging foliage plants... or an informal riot of color, an ever-expanding palette of River-Friendly plants provides exciting options for creating a garden that is both sustainable and aesthetically appealing.

[Landscape design (on left) by Luciole Design Inc.]

If you want to learn more about River-Friendly landscaping, Dave Roberts will be giving a seminar at the Northern California Home & Landscape Expo at CalExpo on Saturday, January 26. You will also be able to see a River-Friendly demonstration garden at the expo.

Seminar: River-Friendly Landscaping
A Holistic Approach to Your Yard
Dave Roberts, River-Friendly EcoLandscape Group
Date: Saturday, January 26
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Pavilion Building



When you're ready to make the switch to a River-Friendly garden, read the handbook online , visit the SacGardens.org website, or order a hard copy of the handbook. The handbook is chock full of recommendations and resources, including Roberts Landscape. Your garden could look like one of the beautiful, River-Friendly gardens pictured above!

Spotted: Front yard rock people in East Sacramento

Now you see 'em...

'Sungold' tomatoes in November

... soon you won't. As November weather goes, this has been a warm one. In fact, I haven't even pulled some of my summer veggies yet. See my 'Sungold' tomatoes? They're still tasty and going strong, even though I've switched to cool-season crops and frost will come. Soon, I must remind myself.


Persian shield, coleus, cuphea, cyclamen, etc.

I planted the same plants in these front porch pots, but varying sun exposure favored the tropical looking Persian shield on the left and coleus on the right. I love both heat lovers and am happy to have memorial photos because soon they will be nothing but a mushy memory.


Dahlia imperialis

My tree dahlias-- which I'm renaming two-story dahlias because they're 20 feet tall-- have a chance to bloom if these warm temps continue!

The garden is pretty much taking care of itself right now. It has to because I'm busy with Thanksgiving plans and other stuff.

Impatiens balfourii seed collecting

The last of my Impatiens balfourii plants, commonly called Poor Man's Orchid, are going to seed. This somewhat obscure Himalayan annual has seed pods that, when ripe, explode when touched. That makes for some pretty challenging and often comical seed collecting.

My friend Weeder gave me seeds a few years ago and because I. balfourii is a reliable reseeder, I haven't had to replant. Her mom planted seed many, many years ago on the family ranch in Carmichael and Weeder has cultivated them-- or they've cultivated themselves-- since taking over the property after her folks were gone. Since she took over the property, not the seeds. Now that she's in the process of selling the place to a developer, we're both collecting seed to save and share around.

I've gotten pretty good at catching seeds in my left hand while gently pinching a pod with my right hand at the point where the pod connects to the stem. That seems to be the trigger point. Weeder reported that she caught a fair number of seeds recently... in her hair. The rest made it into a paper bag.

I'm playing around with making custom seed packets using coin envelopes (Office Max, Office Depot, etc.) and printing my own labels.



I wondered if it would be easy to find I. balfourii seeds online and it's not! Select Seeds doesn't have them. Annie's Annuals sells the plant, but not at this time. Thompson & Morgan? Nope. Johnny's? Nope. J.L. Hudson? Nope. Hortus Botanicus? YES! I shouldn't be surprised. This super coolest of nurseries in Fort Bragg, CA has lots of amazing plants.

On Dave's Garden, two DG members want it and one has it for trade. I'd be interested in knowing if other garden bloggers are growing it and where they obtained seed. Did you buy it? Was it passed along by a friend or family member?

I suppose Poor Man's Orchid could become invasive under the right circumstances, but unless you have nothing but shade and moist soil, it should remain a well-contained and welcome rarity. The plants are easy to pull but are so pretty that you won't want to.

Meet one of my new favorite plants-- Cuphea melvillea

Weeder gave me this Cigar Plant (Cuphea melvillea) for my birthday in July of '06. Look how well it's done in dappled sun next to the house. I love its tubular pinky yellow flowers and so do hummingbirds. I also love its height range of 4-6 ft. It's kinda floppy and not at all formal which just makes me love it even more. We're pretty sure it came from Windmill Nursery, but which grower? Annie's? Blooms? Proven Winners? Where's that damned plant tag?

January 16 edit: I now think this is C. micropetala.

Tree dahlia bud watch, 2007

My tree dahlias (Dahlia imperialis) have grown taller and taller each year. Yikes! Of my three main canes, one snapped but two remain. Threats against this November bloomer include wind and frost. Both fingers way crossed.

I'd like to train them to bloom a little lower to the ground, but I'm not sure of the best time to head them back.

Wish me luck!