Hot gardening Posts

News: Workers That Drive the World

Humans like to think we are the workers of the world and it all relies upon us, but without these little creatures, life as we know it wouldn't exist. This little bee is just off to work for the day—one of thousands of flowers he'll visit before sundown. How inspirational is that?

News: Before eating organic became cool

This is an interesting article about a Hmong family who grew their own produce, not because it was cool, but out of necessity. It's brought up a lot of memories for me, as my own family also grew and continues to grow a lot of their own produce. My mom's got a total green thumb - whenever I go home I know I can look forward to dinners with snow peas, green onions, squashes and melons from the back yard.

News: Vertical gardens

Recently I've become fascinated by vertical gardens. They're cropping up all over the place, whether it's in my neighborhood's newest hair salon or in San Diego as the beginnings of a new company. Vertical gardens have several cool advantages over horizontal ones:

How To: How would you design a school garden?

GOOD, a Los Angeles-based magazine focused on doing good in the world, along with LAUSD, The USDA People’s Garden Initiative, The Environmental Media Association, The National Gardening Association, The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, The California School Garden Network, and Mia Lehrer & Associates, is sponsoring a contest for people to help design a garden for a LAUSD school. GOOD will help build the winning garden design, and they'd like your participation, too. 

News: Emily Dickinson's garden - The Poetry of Flowers

If you're in New York, you absolutely cannot miss this beautiful exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens. Emily Dickinson, the famed reclusive poet of the 19th century, was a lover of nature, and her garden was recreated in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. What can I say, except that it's just stunning...

Oakland Food: Rooftop gardening

As someone who suffered the indignities of an Oakland school education, I'm always thrilled to hear about education reforms that take place and are successful. In this video, you'll get to hear about the program that lets Oakland high school students participate in rooftop gardening and learn valuable skills. And recognition of vegetables other than French fries.

News: tilt-shift video of joshua tree

This gorgeous video demonstrates how something as simple as tilt-shift photography can result in a really beautiful video. I've never been to Joshua Tree, but would love to go sometime. This video makes Joshua Tree look so small that I could just crush it with my hands.

News: Indoor gardens

There are some great ideas for indoor gardens here. My favorite, of course is the small garden inside a PC case. These indoor gardens definitely add life to an interior in a way that no wallpaper or painting can do.

News: foraging for food

Are you hungry? One of the great things about Los Angeles is the abundance of food. I'm not just talking about restaurants. You need to get out of your car, and walk around your neighborhood. You could make a great meal just from what you find out on the streets. It's free, and most of it's organic. Just be sure to wash any dirt off of your treasure before you bite.

News: l.a. botanical garden

People always say there's no green in Los Angeles, but that's not true. You just have to know where to look, and to find those pockets of greenery for yourself. One of the places I've been meaning to go back to is the Los Angeles Botanical Garden. It's full of pretty flowers and trees, and is a lot bigger than you think it is.

News: it's really weird to be a hipster when it was already who you are

I don't know about you, but my mom was planting food in her yard long before it was ever considered "cool" or "progressive". We had scallions, plums, apples, pomegranates, melons and zucchinis in our yard. It was part of our sustenance, and at no point was it ever considered a luxury. It was just something we did to supplement our groceries because it was practical. 

News: urban farming

Urban farming has gotten a bit of notice in the past few years. One of the most vocal advocates is local Tara Kolla, who runs Silver Lake Farms out of her home. Along with her and the support of passionate Los Angelenos, urban farming advocates won approval clarifying an ordinance on whether people can sell fruit and vegetables they grow in their yard.

How To: make your own tomato planter

This is a great tutorial on making your own tomato planters. It's ingenious because the biggest issue I've had is just finding a good spot in my yard. Tomatoes need lots of sun and water, and they die if neither condition is right. This way I'd be able to move the plant around. Problem solved!

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