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Smith & Hawken, Roseville, CA

by | Jul 19, 2008 | Uncategorized

(Photo from City of Roseville website)

Smith & Hawken is opening a store in our area. I would have applied for a position in a heartbeat if they weren’t putting the store in Roseville… at The Galleria. Ugh. We’re never going to revitalize downtown and cut down on driving if all the stores people will drive out of their way for (Sur La Table, Bare Escentuals, Nugget Market, etc.) head for the burbs. Thank goodness the Apple Store is at Arden Fair. That’s at least somewhat centrally located.
Anyway, if any horticulturally inclined people in the Roseville area are looking for work and can stand the soul-crushing Galleria Mall five days a week, check out the job ads on Craigslist. Several positions open.

Backyard Pano

by | Jul 14, 2008 | Uncategorized


Just went out into my backyard, turned in a complete circle while taking shots and popped those shots into Photoshop’s photo stitching thingy. The results are crude, but fun.

I love that Annie (my little b&w dog) was walking across the lawn with a rawhide shoe in her mouth at the time. I didn’t even see her when I was taking the pictures.

What I should have been doing during the cool morning hours… instead of taking pictures… is deadheading and weeding. Just felt like taking it all in instead.

California Heartland is back

by | Jul 6, 2008 | Uncategorized

Hey, I was just listening to Farmer Fred on the radio and he mentioned that KVIE’s California Heartland show is back! The KVIE intro video mentions new faces and the inclusion of backyard gardening. Looks like Farmer Fred is the new gardening host. He keeps warning everyone that he has a face for radio, but I think he looks great.

The cooking segments look like they’re being hosted by the woman who does cooking spots for Raley’s and whose name escapes me. Anyway, check it out! I’ll be adding California Heartland to my DVR lineup.

Starts tomorrow.

Black Widows Killed

by | Jul 5, 2008 | Uncategorized


Photo is from UC IPM website (see link below)

2 today, 1 the other day. They’re everywhere right now. When I see them, I screech, do a little dance and run for the can of Spider Killer. Wonder if anybody makes an organic Black Widow spray. I let nearly everything live in my garden. Except Black Widows.

Venom from its bite can cause reactions ranging from mild to painful and serious, but death is very unlikely and many symptoms can be alleviated if medical treatment is obtained. Anyone bitten by this spider should remain calm and promptly seek medical advice; it is helpful if the offending spider can be caught and saved for identification.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7442.html

I don’t know… I think they’re dancing around the whole death issue…

Fireworks in the Garden…

by | Jul 4, 2008 | Uncategorized


…courtesy of nature, well, and our friendly neighborhood plant hybridizers. When my daylilies, agapanthus and lilies bloom, I know summer’s here for real. The lilies have come back on their own for a few years and the agapanthus are fairly new additions. I absolutely love agapanthus and don’t care one whit that it’s common. My orange Lion’s Tail (Leonotis) is pretty fun too. You can just tell it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

More front yard ridiculousness

by | Jul 2, 2008 | Uncategorized

Reason… OK, more likely public pressure… prevails:

Sacramento won’t fine couple who let lawn die
By Matt Weiser – mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, July 3, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

Sacramento couple who let lawn die to save water face $746 fine
By Matt Weiser – mweiser@sacbee.com

Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

Their small brick home was declared a “public nuisance” in violation of city code section 17.68.010, which states that front yards “shall be irrigated, landscaped and maintained.”

Irrigated? Check; she waters her ferns and hydrangeas.
Landscaped? Check; plants, trees and mulch.
Maintained? Check; plants alive… mulch behaving in an appropriately mulch-like manner. I see no violation here. Move along.

Love the hand-watered lawn next door. Kudos to the photographer.

I think she should install a chocolate garden… nothing but brown-colored flowers and foliage. No law against that. Or is there?

If it’s watered and maintained and irrigated, then it’s legal, correct? Seems to me the perceived offense is the lack of green. If so, then her neighbors with bermudagrass-infused lawns (a common sight in East Sacramento) are breaking the Green Law every winter unless they reseed with annual ryegrass in time to cover up… the brown. Ooh, maybe she should plant a combination of bermudagrass, oxalis and nutsedge. What a green lawn that would be. Ridiculousness.