Good For Tree Lovers, Not Tree Huggers

Standing tall, the bulbous chartreuse trunks, studded with spikes - the Floss-Silk tree's prehistoric appearance would be foreboding if it wasn't for the tantalizing halo of gargantuan day glow pink hibiscus-like flowers.

I love trees- however- this one, aka Chorisa Speciosa is not one- I would climb. Not with that impaler trunk. It has a stubborn shallow root system- this is not a tree to argue with as it gets larger. It does not belong within 15 feet of a foundation or driveway you don't want lifted.

It was perfect placement that its beauty is usually appreciated from afar. It is planted at the rear of the lot. There it is the first signal to the monarchs to fly this garden corridor.

The tree was a gift from my mother's garden. It came here in a decomposing whiskey barrel when she sold her home of forty years. When our oldest son graduated from college. Between job interviews, we paid him to extend the irrigation system to the undeveloped canyon past the chainlink fence which slows down wayward skunks, fox and bobcats to our more proper garden. He was pleased to have the work. It meant he would be able to save up faster for the Diamond Ring to put on his college sweetheart's finger.

That was over six years ago. Many things have changed.

But every time I see that tree bloom I am reminded of the deep love for nature and for gardens my family shares.

I think of the movement towards native plantings. I understand the sentiment. Still: more of our ancestors were immigrants than natives. The diversity in our bloodlines and blending of cultures within the family is at times is a bit challenging- still, it is interesting and healthy.

Why wouldn't it be that way with plants also? As long as my monarchs and hummingbirds and scrub jays are happy with the new introductions- so am I. This immigrant tree whose bloodlines started in South America is welcome in my garden.

Plant Pilgrimage- Part 2

When you really have to have it: ask a travel agent to find it.

Once, I was longing for a specific bottle of wine. I didn’t have the name. Just a photograph taken of someone else in Spain and the opinion that the wine was GOOD. I hunted wine stores. They called their vendors. They called importers who in turn called exporters.

Who found it? The remarkable Patty Gee- Travel Agent Extraordinaire of Progressive Travel. She had the wine named, sourced and at my doorstep in less than 2 days.

I thought I could handle getting a room for my quick get-away up to Berkeley. Last minute searching on the Internet turned up names of accommodations- but no vacancies.

Thank Goodness for Patty! She understands that it is not perfection that I seek in travel. I follow the counsel of the late landscape architect Thomas Church, “Absolute perfection, like absolute consistency, can be dull.” I seek a quietly memorable adventure filled with beauty at a price that does not send my husband into shock. Using her services has never cost me a dime extra- I get a better trip with her help- now that's value.
I e-mailed my itinerary and she sent back a confirmation for the elegantly comfortable Mill Valley Inn.

Crossing “the bridge” over the bay transported me in minutes from the crowded city to a world where redwoods stand sentry over the understory of trees and ferns: the thousand shades of green filled me with wonderment. Enthralled by the ancient forest- the moist, fresh air filled my lungs with youth.

Timbers and old bricks fronted the business district buildings with Hansel and Gretel charm. Pockets of flower beds perked up streetscape. I was thoroughly enchanted when I reached the inn.

Staff was professionally friendly, directing me to the well-insulated little room that delightfully lacked the corporate dullness of so many lodgings. The bathroom was softest buttercup yellow. The desk vanity and mirror are finished with a green distressing technique. The door to the balcony really opens: you can hear the jays clacking in the trees. Underneath the vaulted ceiling was the most comfortable bed covered in fine, crisp white linens.

Over a complimentary glass of wine I perused the list of local amenities. It can be awkward dining when traveling alone. But Mill Valley offers safe streets with a dozen or so restaurants within comfortable walking distance.
Piazza D’Angelo is one of those upscale Italian neighborhood restaurants that appeals to my inner-foodie. The fact that mentioning my lodgings would score a complimentary glass of champagne made it an irresistible dinner destination.
What to eat? The Insalatinadi Spinaci e Gorgonzola intrigued. It is a variation on the simple spinach salad. The unusual topping that tempted me was the caramelized red onions. That, and it offered a chance to taste the roasted garlic lemon vinaigrette.
The salad was satisfying in its own right- but travel is about discovery. I needed to explore a bit more the riches of this particular culinary stop.

On the waitress’ recommendation, I made room for the Tortelloni della Casa, the simple house made pasta stuffed with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses coated gently in a creamy tomato sauce. Shavings of fresh basil is the simple touch that made the meal magnifique. After the complicated salad- this was comfort food on the first order: simple, filling and fulfilling. It made me dream of returning to my own kitchen, to putting on my apron and gathering my family together to share with them what I learned on my trip.

Helpful Websites:

Patty Gee and Progressive Travel http://www.progressivetours.com/

Piazza D'Angelo http://www.piazzadangelo.com/Joie de Vivre Hotels

Mill Valley Inn is a member of the Joie de Vivre Hotels

Plant Pilgrimage- Part 1

"…It is clear that the crisis has a moral component- in particular the severing of the relationship between productive activity and wealth.”
-Jonathan Rosenblooom

It is a sin to own a comped airline ticket and not use it. In just a week, the Southwest Airline ticket won at the Youth Science Center Gala would expire. It would become as valuable as milk left for weeks on the counter.


Where to go? The week was packed: two deadlines, two events and one doctor’s appointment smack in the middle. There wasn’t time to be tempted with thoughts of “what should I do which will make me the most money as a writer.”

Instead I focused. This would be a plant pilgrimage. I was on my way to pay homage to a business where levity and bold optimism grow in opposition to a fading economy. I brought an

empty suitcase and the money saved because I didn’t have to buy an airline ticket.
First stop would be to Annie’s Annuals and Perennials in Richmond, California. This 2.5 acres of plant heaven floats in the middle of an industrial neighborhood just north of what my friends call the “People’s Republic of Berkeley”.
I met Annie once. At an unforgettable chat she gave at the Huntington Gardens and Library. She enchanted us with bubbly visions of storybook bright blue perfumed flowers and other rarities. She is the Fairy Queen in the Land of Gardening Imagination.

She was just as effervescent the day of my visit to her garden- a few words with those who venture into the unchartered waters of business is always an honor for me.
Meet Robin and Pixie. These two plant tenders are the type of people who are the true wealth makers of this nation. People who exude cheerful love for their product. Their vitality is infectious. With their advice, the little red wagon filled with plants to stuff my empty suitcase with.

Even if you can’t make it to her garden, flipping through the pages of Annie’s charming catalog, you can learn joy looks like. It looks like a garden full of Annie’s plants. Since we all live in a world starved for an injection of levity and brash optimism, order a copy. Sign up on their “wish list” for out-of-stock delights. I have used this service a few times- and in a word- “Wow”. .

At first glance one might think that what Annie and Company sell is flowering plants. But what they really sell is HAPPINESS.

Annie's Annuals & Perennials can be found on the web at http://www.anniesannuals.com/

Some of her plants can be seen in Southern California at The Garden 845 N Garey

Ave, Pomona, CA 91767 phone (909) 731-2435

or at

Roger's Gardens 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd Corona del Mar, California 92625 949- 640-5800

Barking Up A Tree

“…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

President Franklin Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address, called for what might have viewed at the time a bit irrational. Our great nation was deeply mired in the bowels of the deep depression.

I believe that the measure of his thought that day is worth more in wisdom and outcome than any government program, then and now .

With all the dour financial news shoved in our faces: no wonder so many are depressing into recession. We are giving in to the temptation to pull back. To retreat to safety.
But safety in life is an allusion.
We can choose to stand on the side lines and let others take the blame. God knows there is enough of that to go around. But that wastes the commodity greater than any coin or commission: time. Wasting time and wasting money is wasting life.
The very best thing we can do is to live life on purpose. If you want to watch your assets to grow- plant a tree. That is an investment in the future. One which will give dividends no stock market decline can take away.

Have fun deciding what tree to plant. Trees are all around us: make a date and take your camera. Open your eyes not just to size, shape and canopy. Look at the beauty of bark itself.

Go Clubbing!

Meet Amy Sitze, Executive Director of the National Home Gardening Club (NHGC). She is holding up a copy of Gardening How-To, the perky publication of the organization. If the magazine’s name is unfamiliar- it is because it can’t be bought at the bookstore. It is a benefit of joining NHGC.

I just got off the garden club website- and I have to say- joining the National Home Gardening Club is one of the best values for education, motivation and inspiration in America.

The website is easy and quick to navigate. The information is useful. The ads are enjoyably displayed where they can be perused- not irritatingly in the way of the information like some other gardening websites.

Being a gadget gal, I was excited to find a product review section. One item reviewed was PotLifter: a strappy gadget I tried out with a little skepticism at the GWA Garden Product Exhibition . It made my muscles act like they had been working out much more regularly than I have lately. Yahoo!

This compact device left me wondering “Why didn’t someone think of this sooner?”

I LOVE my BIG pots. But I always stress before they have to be moved. There is the worry that a pot will slip: the finish might chip. Or not just the pot: my helper or I could slip and break. But now that Santa is going to wrap up a PotLifter for me, I’m looking forward to one of the heavier jobs in the garden.

To learn more about NHGC go to http://www.gardeningclub.com/Main/default.aspx

The PotLifter can be seen and ordered from http://www.potlifter.com/

GWA stands for the Garden Writer's Association

Uncomplicated Pleasure

“Food is our common ground.” James Beard
No, its not an Airstream trailer. It's the barbecue of my husband's dreams. Stainless steel grates and infrared heat to sear the juices in the meat.

In my dreams was the decoratively demure enamel clad cooker. Such models in a brand trustworthy to be around when parts need to be replaced is against every economic ethic. So my husband won this battle.

This is a story that ends with the pleasure possible in surrender. Our visual aesthetic may differ: but food is our common ground.



Food does not have to be complicated to be a feast.



Last night the Italian sausage were marinated in just a tiny bit of red wine.

The red stems of chard were sauteed in a bit of butter and olive oil. The chopped leaves added a minute later with a ladle of chicken broth. When the leaves were just beginning to wilt, it was splashed with red wine vinegar and pulled off the heat.

Soothing comfort was provided the tongue by the oozing of fresh mozzarella cheese stirred into a simmering hot pot of polenta.

Baby Portabella mushrooms made their own sauce when warmed in a tiny bit of butter with leaves pulled off a stem of thyme.

A simple salad added the crispness to the meal we can now feel in autumn air. Humble iceberg lettuce, an heirloom tomato and green onion are the humble trinity that is the base of our "house salad". Tossed in was just what was on hand in the refrigerator: sliced olives, chopped egg and sunflower seeds. Uncommon richness was added by a basil chiffonade of few leaves plucked from the waning wands in the garden.

I suppose we could have gone out for a Friday night on the town. But no meal could have been better than the one enjoyed on my own patio, with my husband, with our garden at hand. No grand bouquet more appreciated than the glow of Betty Boop roses in the moonlight.

Bring It Home

A thousand shades of green. Skies the color of molten silver. Air-cool and moist. This aura of a fairytale forest is what I hold dear of Oregon. How do I bring that home to my Southern California garden?



My fairy godmother must have sent a hint to the wonderful folks at Iseli Nursery. The wholesale grower in not-at-all Boring, Oregon made it easy for us lucky enough to meander their paths during the GWA Symposium. They packed up the cutest gift bags with a quintuplet of sampling saplings. The nursery was so thoughtful- they provided individual phytosanitary permits (plant passports). Yahoo! I could legally import the diminutive forest over the California border. THANK YOU.













My little forest is officially adopted now that it is planted in a Malaysian Bowl from Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar. An African Violet adds color. A lawn of sheet moss prevents run-off from becoming a miniature mudslide.
When times are troubled, souveniers such as these are not just things. They are memory keepers. When I look at these plants, I won't just remember lectures and plants. I will think of kind and knowlegable people who shared a wonderful week in this life. And I will smile.