Last Chance to Win Theodore Payne Garden Tour Tickets, A Note on Our Backyard and a Mini-Rant

March 23, 2018

...hat last point I’ll note that there is no such thing as a zero maintenance garden, but I will say that California natives are, generally, a lot less fussy than annuals. This year we’ve also decided to hire a professional to come up with a design for our troublesome backyard. The first order of business is to jackhammer out an ugly concrete patio and deal with some possible foundation issues. I’m hoping, with our designer’s permission, to share the...

Read…

Straw Bale Garden Part V: Growing Vegetables

Mr. Homegrown

June 18, 2013

23 Comments

...is a lot easier than making high quality compost and a lot faster. While not a long term strategy, I’m looking forward to trying straw bale gardening again. How is your straw bale garden doing?...

Read…

088 Eric of Garden Fork TV on Raised Beds, Coleslaw and Deep Frying

Mr. Homegrown

June 29, 2016

Food, Gardening, Podcasts

...te Garden Fork. We talk about using pressure treated wood for raised beds, making coleslaw and Eric’s adventures in deep frying (bacon wrapped grilled cheese!) among other topics. During our conversation Eric mentions: The Garden Fork Youtube channel Pressure treated wood video Homemade pallet breaker How to build raised beds How to make coleslaw OXO salad spinner Bacon grilled cheese sandwich Deep fried Twinkies Donuts made from biscuit dough 360...

Read…

Garden Magician Jeffrey Bale

Mr. Homegrown

November 24, 2014

Garden Design, Gardening

4 Comments

...g and spend a few hours in awe of his work. He has a new post up showing a garden he built from scratch in Portland and a drought tolerant garden in Los Angeles. I’m especially fond of the fountain in the Portland garden. Bale’s works is informed by his world travels. He creates spaces that invite contemplation and mystery. Join with me in imagining a world in which creative people like Bale could be cut loose to transform both our private and pub...

Read…

Thankful for the New Rain Garden

Mr. Homegrown

November 28, 2019

Garden Design, Gardening, Native Plants

7 Comments

...rminates at a simulated gravel filled stream bed that spills into the rain garden. Kelly has just started planting the wet lower part of the rain garden with native plants including water loving Douglas irises (Iris douglasiana). She planted the dry outer edges with desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), coyote mint (Monardella villosa) and assorted grasses. Alas, my hopes of building a little boat in which to row back and forth across our new season...

Read…