Last weekend we headed up the coast in search of indigenous plants, and were amazed by the colorful diversity we found. The low-lying chaparral we expected was punctuated by shocking, shoulder-high clouds of wild lilac (Ceanothus) and flannel bush blooming yellow, and one of the...
The riotous garden Joe Skoby has created is one that embraces you, absorbs you, tickles you on the ear. Tall philodendrons curve to create organic archways, a snail vine wraps a palm tree in a rich stole of purple flowers, and a creeping fig pokes...
Time for Round Two of Tussie-Mussie Tuesday! Inspired by the Victorian language of flowers, we’re fixing up sweet and simple bouquets that you can give to the beloved buds in your life. Our last bouquet was all about romance, ranunculus and Mary J. Blige. Today, though...
Happy equinox, everyone! Here in Southern California, early spring means wildflowers, and lots of them: hillsides dense with blue flax and lupine, and phone-in hotlines updated weekly with the state of the poppies. The excitement is understandable — how many other things feel so untamed...
“A lot of people are surprised to hear about a healthcare provider who co-authored a book about booze,” says Garden Eats blogger Christine Dionese. “Herbs, rinds, seeds, flowers and leaves are the basis of the medicines I prescribe, and have been used to transform food and...
When I turned 16, I got a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda for my birthday. In those days I was just getting into yoga — contemplating boys while in bridge pose — as I tried to branch out beyond my number-one concern...
Trendiness aside, our love for the macaron can be traced to its fulfillment of the three Cs: crispiness, cream and color. Delicate shells piped with flavorful fillings, these iconic French cookies are in the middle of a revival, and we’re along for the ride. We were...
If you’re looking for a tree whose blossom is (1) the national flower of Argentina, (2) the national flower of Uruguay, (3) the floral emblem of a town in Okinawa AND is the city tree of Los Angeles, then you’re in luck. The coral tree...
Can you believe spring's only 23 days away? It’s true that we didn’t get Polar Vortexed — aside from that time near Asheville. But even we are counting the days until March 20, 9:57 AM PDT, vernal equinox, the moment the Earth rocks into a perfectly...
Mesmerizing on so many levels, evergreen pear trees are in full flower in many parts of California and Arizona right now. You’ll recognize them by their cotton-ball canopies, dreamy cluster upon dreamy cluster of white flowers that bloom for just a few weeks in late...