Our huge Agave bloomed. In After 11 happy years in our yard, our Agave -- which I thought was a Mr. Ripple but is some kind of Mexican Agave hybrid with rippled edges -- started its shoot last spring. Agave flowering stalks are habitat heavens, so we watched the wildlife parade come through. It …
Favorite Hikes: Mission Creek Preserve for Solitude & Desert Habitat
Looking for a remote and different hiking experience? The Wildlands Conservancy's Mission Creek Preserve outside Desert Hot Springs California features a birder's paradise wetlands surrounded by a healthy desert landscape. In a transition zone, the Preserve contains plants from both the Sonoran and …
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When to Trim Trees and Protect Nesting Wildlife
Note: Click here for a brochure for So CA now available on this subject! I wasn't sure how to title this article -- as it's about best tree and shrub trimming practices. But it also stems from disturbing reports of commercial tree trimmers deliberately harming nests. I'll go with the more positive …
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Garden Takeaways at Season’s End
It’s finally cooled down here in California and fall is a great time to reflect on what’s done well and what hasn’t in our yards. And also ponder what we might do differently. In Southern California - unlike in the Midwest where I grew up - there’s no rest for the weary since fall through winter are …
Springtime – critters, injured birds and even snakes
It’s Springtime – not only for our plants and trees, but for the animal lives around us. And that means more animal sightings, injured animals and even snake encounters. In addition to the information below, please see my article on the most commonly asked questions on wildlife rescues plus rescue …
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Habitat Gardening (Part 1) – Insects are Good!
I recently attended an all-day workshop on Habitat Gardening that covered our birds and butterflies and pollinators. It also focused on how to welcome beneficial insects to combat pests, therefore avoiding the use of pesticides. Led by Frederique Lavoipierre, Director of Education at the Santa …
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