I drove through the Groveland area near Yosemite a couple of days before the Rim Fire started on August 17th. The local talk over Tioga Pass was then about the recent Aspen fire in the Sierra National Forest. The Rim fire has now burned 400 square miles of forest and cost $122 million to fight … Continue reading Firescaping-Part I
The landscape is so green and lush in May. Shades of green are everywhere you look – apple green, grass green, forest green, spring green, pine, olive, lime, jade, chartreuse, kelp, sage. Did you know the the human eye can identify over 200,000 shade of green? It's hard to imagine that by summer the hills … Continue reading Firesafe Landscaping Tips for Santa Cruz Mtns
There have been two fires close to where I live in Felton, one of which was only 5 miles or so away on Martin Grade in Bonny Doon. This started me thinking: what is a landscape that is safer in a wildfire than another? Here is what I found out. Many people think they have … Continue reading Fire safe landscaping
Once upon a time when our area was under waterthere were no parks or trails or trees or gardens.I’m thankful that our mountains rose from an ancient oceanso we could enjoy this beautiful place we call home. I’m thankful for the Bigleaf maplesthat shower me with leaves as big as saucersas I walk in Henry … Continue reading A Poem of Thanksgiving by Jan Nelson, The Mountain Gardener
The CZU Fire destroyed more than 86,000 acres and 1490 buildings including 911 homes. It destroyed a lot of our horticultural history, too. I have driven up Jamison Creek Road and Alba Road many times since the fire. Empire Grade through Bonny Doon was a magnificent drive past huge redwoods, oaks and Crest Ranch Christmas … Continue reading Our Horticultural Heritage
I used to have over 300 containers. Then I whittled them down to 200. The fire took care of that but I saved a bunch by cutting away burned roots, replacing melted pots and giving the survivors some TLC. I consider them pets now given all the care I have given them over the past … Continue reading Planting Tips for Containers