The first tip in creating a drought tolerant garden is to choose the right plants. Most people want their garden to be beautiful and healthy all year long and you can do that with ease by choosing drought tolerant plants. Unfortunately drought tolerants have gotten a bad rap in the past. There has been a misconception that they are brown and woody and unattractive, which is of course, false. So when planning your garden be sure to choose sun worshipers such as plants that are accustomed to a Mediterranean climate. These plants are accustomed to little water and still create a gorgeous and oftentimes dramatic look. In general, plants that have silvery or grey leaves are drought tolerant.
The following list will help you create a wonderful water saving garden.
Continue reading "Step 1: Drought Tolerant Plants" »

A garden group that I frequent went on recent garden tour in the Anderson Valley. It was a great tour and flaunted a wonderful group of gardens. Please continue reading for an account of my garden adventure.
We started at the Anderson Valley Nursery and it has a beautiful Italian olive cultivars and the best
looking Aristolochia californica I've ever seen. We then went to the weekend (or summer) house belonging to a couple from the Peninsula. They (must) have a caretaker or local gardener that takes care of the place for them. There was nothing particularly spectacular about it, but it was comfortable and well kept. It was planted mostly with the usual sturdy, low maintenance, drought-tolerant plants, except for the roses. I can see it being a very nice spot to escape to. Actually all of the Anderson Valley is a
nice place to escape to. It is amazingly quiet. And I can't blame the locals for wanting to keep it that way.
The plants got more interesting at Walden and Ginger Valens garden in Boonville. Walden explained that it was a plant collectors garden. It was pretty much one of this and one of that. Some of the plants were
pretty neat and there was an attempt at thematic coherence. Ginger has a heavy addiction to garden decoration. Next we went wine tasting at Golden Eye Winery. It has a pleasantly landscaped terrace that doesn't compete with the view over the vineyard to the forested hills beyond.
Continue reading "Anderson Valley" »