In our Sunnyvale garden, half of the trees are in pots. We simply do not have the ground space for more trees. In the 100 foot by 2 foot side-strip we have gingko, tangerine, grapefruit, feijoa, pomegranate, apricot, orange, and lemon. In the former swimming pool is a large cherry tree. In the former hot tub is another apricot tree. …

You can only eat so many blackberries in two weeks. We have been eating them fresh. We have been making galettes. So now we are making jam. Ingredients: Note this receipe makes about 8 jars Marionberries and/or blackberries (about two and one-half pounds) 6 1/2 cups sugar Ball Liquid Fruit Pectin pouch You will need: Boiling water canning pot or …

Every summer when the fruit is ripe, we make galettes. A galette is a free-form pie shell.  It can be sweet from fruit or savory like a pizza. Our first galette for 2017 has 4 cups of blackberries and marionberries. Pie shell Ingredients 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1/4 …

It’s June 1 and these are the last of our artichokes. We had two plants: a Roma and a Violetta (instead of the usual Green Globe). I harvested the first flowerhead of each plant in early May. These are the secondary heads. This has been an experiment. I tried a few times before. Each plant was in a medium container …

Abundant REALLY LARGE fanciful blooms appear Spring thru Summer on this new “Monkey Flower” variety from Chile. Twice the size of the original species (2” top to bottom), ‘Mega’s’ creamy white flowers are blushed cherry & garnished with a yellow throat & showy spots. Dark branching stems, refined blue-green foliage & a bushy 20” high & wide form completes the …

May in our Sunnyvale garden is always full of flowers and growth. We had over 60 flowering plants plus fruit and vegetables.

Pink German Catchfly (Viscaria oculata) is a pretty annual. Each 1-inch flower has five petals around a dark eye. Ours started blooming May 20. They bloom for about 4 months. The common name “catchfly” is used because the stems secrete a sticky liquid that traps small insects. The flower has been in British gardens since the 1840s. No flower seed …

Coral Bells (genus Heuchera) are a great foliage plant. The leaves are often large and heart-shaped or rounded, and many are variegated or ruffled. Starting in late spring, graceful, bell-shaped flower clusters open, carried on spikes that grow about two feet tall. Because these North American natives are evergreen (USDA zones 4 – 9), they bring year-round interest to the …

Salpiglossis: a name that just rolls off the tongue. Which it should since the genus name comes from the Greek words sappinx meaning trumpet and glossa meaning tongue with reference to the elongated trupet-shaped flowers. It is a spectacular flower. I don’t know how I missed this flower over the years. Many salpiglossis are hybrid cultivars that are primarily derived …

Intense, dark rosy pink outer petals contrast beautifully with white centers on 2” wide, long-spurred blooms. Makes a great cut flower! Its vigorous upright, airy habit make it a nice addition to woodland gardens, sunny rock gardens, and cottage gardens. 2’x2’ when in bloom, with flowers borne on tall branching stems held about 1’ above showy, lacy foliage. Like its …