Under the Solano Sun

About 4 years ago my dad's banana trees in Modesto were outgrowing their space. He wanted to rebuild the redwood gate that the clump grew next to. The tree had been there when my parents bought the house decades ago.

The other day a few master gardeners were talking about a person who had the opportunity to interview a well-known gardener before she passed away at the age of 109: Ruth Bancroft from Walnut Creek.

One traditionally greets springtime with great joy as the season of renewal and a time to look forward to planting a summer garden. But, as we sadly pick our last succulent tomatoes, let's remember that fall can be just as promising a time to plant and enjoy a very different vegetable garden.

A time to be thankful for all things Nature provides Our Lives Our Families Our Friends...

It's one thing to want a water-wise lawn and another thing entirely to commit to one. Most of my backyard has been under woodchips for two years now and I have become restless for grass. The space is set aside. The question is what kind of grass to put there. I don't want a sod lawn.