Straw Bale Gardening 101: Not Just for Country Folk

Straw bales conjure up images of hay rides, old episodes of Hee Haw on YouTube, and livestock at feeding time. But did you know they’re increasingly popular in urban gardens? No garden plot required! They’re a perfect medium for veggies, herbs, flowers —...

13 Tips for Low-Maintenance Landscaping

We all know a putterer when we see one. Putterers putter in the yard — digging, planting, pruning, and mowing. It’s a form of therapy. But when temperatures soar into the 90s, with humidity to match, yard work feels less like therapy than torment. Even putterers...

The Many Benefits of Mulching: Tips & Techniques

One of gardening’s oldest techniques is also one of the cheapest and most effective. And it’s especially useful in dry climates like Southern California’s. We’re talking about mulching or covering the soil with a protective layer. What makes it...

How to Create a Rock Garden: Tips & Inspiration

Do you love nature but hate pushing a mower? Are you a wannabe artist, geologist, and maybe Zen monk? Then rock gardening is for you! Just plant the rocks and watch them grow! All kidding aside, a rock garden may be the very thing to put your soul at ease and build a...