This is the first bloom of Linaria in early March 2015. The plant is about 12 inches tall and the whole flower head is only an inch wide. See detailed description of Linaria

Like everything else in the garden, the blackberries are two weeks ahead of schedule. We are going to have a good crop of blackberries and a bumper crop of marionberries.

Our resident hummingbird appeared to be enjoying the rare spring rain

I have not planted elephant garlic in the front yard in ten years. The plants continue to produce every year. Mostly from child bulbs on the parent. But sometimes from seeds dispersed from the flower heads. This year, I harvested about half of the garlic. Wash off the dirt. Dry for an hour or so. Cut off the foliage about …

Tall Bearded Iris is a great spring flower for Sunnyvale gardens. This is a migrant plant. Some years the iris is in the front yard in the ground; other years the iris is in a container in the back yard. Irises contain the potentially toxic compounds irisin, iridin, or irisine. Symptoms of Poisoning: The gastrointestinal tract may become affected by …

The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata), commonly known as the hummingbird moth, is a moth of the Sphingidae family. Its range extends from Central America, through the United States and into parts of Canada. The forewing is dark brown with a tan stripe which extends from the base to the apex. There are also white lines that cover the veins. The …

The Asian Pear Ultra-dwarf tree in my Sunnyvale garden started blossoming the last week in March 2015.

Tomatoes can easily be grown in Sunnyvale gardens. Most varieties are warm-season. But there are a few varieties that produce ripe fruit before June or after October.

This is the first bloom of Linaria in 2015. The plant is about 12 inches tall and the whole flower head is only an inch wide. Some have suggested, after viewing this photo, that Alien has crossed from animals to plants. See detailed description of Linaria

Nectarine and Apricot blossoms in late February 2015. Bees are busy visiting all the blossoms. The apricot tree in the photo below is a volunteer tree. This tree grew from a discarded apricot pit. It is growing in a two-foot wide trench along the side yard. Our original apricot tree is growing on semi-standard root stock. This volunteer tree is …