What Color to Paint a Ceiling: Common Questions Answered 

Imagine you’re repainting the house. You picked neutral gray for the living room, deep green for the dining room, bright yellow for the kids’ bedroom, and so on. But have you considered the ceilings? A deep green ceiling in a deep green dining room might...

Growing Peonies from Roots, Cuttings, or Seeds

First, a point of clarification: peonies are NOT cute little ungulates that girls love. They’re showy, cool-weather flowering plants that often struggle in Southern California gardens. Peonies are native to the chillier climes of Europe, America, and Asia. But...

Guava Tree Care in a Mediterranean Climate

Guavas are like gold at the supermarket, if your local market even carries them. They’re small, tasteless, and so costly, you may think you wandered into Harrods by mistake. Anyone who has sampled a ripe guava fresh off the tree will forever be on a quest for...

Amaryllis Care & Cultivation Indoors & Out

Tulips need a chilling period to bloom. Crocus and hyacinth likewise need cold stratification to flower. Some ornamental lilies may struggle in Southern California’s hot, dry summers. What’s an aspiring bulb flower gardener to do? You’ll be happy to...

A Guide to Fig Tree Care in Metro LA

Figs are among the earliest domesticated crops in human history, dating back 9,000 years in regions like modern-day Jordan and the Levant. The Egyptians dried figs for year-round consumption, while the Greeks and Romans associated the fruit with fertility and...