Garden Update Part II: The Good the Bad and a Lot of Ugly

...e asparagus fern (Asparagus aethiopicus) on the right, a vile and invasive plant that is proof of the fallen nature of this vale of tears. The plant in the center is from Annie’s annuals and I can’t remember the name of it. Kelly knows what it’s called but she’s visiting family this week. You get bragging rights if you call it out in the comments. Part of the reason for the lushness of the yard is that we divert the rainwater from the roof to a pi...

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Is Purslane the New Kale?

...water than what falls naturally from the sky here). You can eat the whole plant: stems and leaves. It has a salty and slightly lemony flavor reminiscent of New Zealand spinach. There’s always a huge bin of it at Super King, our local Armenian supermarket. In Armenia it’s gathered in the wild and used either raw in salads or lightly sauteed. There’s even a World Cup tie-in. The color of the plant in South America is associated with green/white soc...

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Can our landscapes model a vibrant future? Not according to the LA DWP.

...t with nature to be too much trouble. No doubt they’d replace those sickly plants with synthetics if they didn’t suspect they’d all get stolen in the night. This is not the kind of model we need, DWP. Next time you change up your landscaping, consider consulting one or more of the many brilliant plant people and designers in this city. Call us if you need numbers. Consider using permeable surfaces and contoured landscaping to capture every drop of...

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Compostable Holiday Decor

...took about a half hour to make, and I made it more for the pleasure of the making than anything else. It is worth remembering that you can throw together a wreath or swag or centerpiece out of whatever fresh plant matter you can find, and it will look fresh for the rest of the day. It’s really nice to have fresh, fragrant greenery on the walls and tables for parties. Here’s a thoughtstyling for you: maybe holiday decor should be as compost-able as...

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Saturday Tweets: Happy Feet and Sad Feet

...t So Much? https://t.co/DVO4novEGO — Benjamin Vogt (@BRVogt) July 18, 2019 Plant Parenthood https://t.co/01XQzgUiW1 — Root Simple (@rootsimple) July 18, 2019 “It is in our hands to make of our world a better one for all.” – Nelson Mandela Today let us honor #MandelaDay as he taught us that we have the power to make that change. — Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) July 18, 2019 When Trump says, If you don’t like, it leave it,” people I know say it reminds t...

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