Gardening in California calls for finesse. California has four of the five major climate zones found in the world—Mediterranean, semi-arid, desert, and alpine. The fifth major climate zone is tropical—and parts of Southern California come close being semi-tropical. Parts of California are desert hot and dry while other parts are forested cool and wet. The […] More
Gardening near the ocean or a very large lake can be a challenge. Large bodies of water create weather and microclimate conditions that can test plants and gardeners. To garden near the coast you will need to know what plants thrive near water, if they are salt-tolerant, what temperature highs and lows they can withstand, […] More
Gardening in arid regions can be a challenge. Arid regions—including the American Southwest and parts of the West– get as little as 4 inches of rain or less in the course of a year. In some arid regions, rain may come in summer; in other arid regions, rain may come in winter. Where rainfall is […] More
Flower gardening in warm-winter and long-summer southern regions requires attention to plant selection and climate. Plants must be able to tolerate heat and humidity. Because southern gardens have long growing seasons, months of frost-free days, insects can also be a major challenge. If you are a warm or hot region gardener, here are some tips […] More
Understanding your garden is key to successful gardening. Your garden has a “personality” all its own. As you get to know your garden, you will find it more and more interesting. You will get to know its wants and needs and how to make it happy. When the garden is happy, the gardener is happy. […] More
Gardening has a language all its own. There are a few terms that you need to become familiar with as a gardener. Here are some basic gardening words and what they mean to gardeners: Annual: This is a plant that grows, blooms, and dies in a single growing season. Some annuals grow in spring and […] More
Cold winter gardens have their challenges. Cold winters will prevent some plants from growing, but it will allow others to thrive. Selecting the right plants is key to gardening success where winters are cold. Protecting plants from the cold must be in the gardening equation should you decide to grow plants not native to your […] More
Flower gardening is fun. Working in the garden can bring great personal satisfaction. Here are a few suggestions to get the most out of gardening. Invest in your soil Spend time and money improving your garden soil. Plants grow best in loose, rich, well-drained soil. Aged compost or commercial organic planting mix will improve all […] More
Almost all plants have two names—a common name and a botanical or Latin name. The common name is the one most people know. The botanical or Latin name is the name assigned to the plant by botanists—plant experts. Botanical names are the same everywhere worldwide. A plant’s Latin name used in Japan or France or […] More
Stephen Albert