Under the Solano Sun

The middle of March my husband and I were in Sacramento to see a concert at the Safe Credit Union Center for the Performing Arts. We had arrived just a little early and decided to walk around the block till the venue opened.

Each year the blossoms in Solano County seem to be more bountiful. But this year we are being treated to the most beautiful and bountiful showing of all.

This was my Master Gardener student project one year ago. The goal was to populate a shady, sloped corner in our backyard where nothing survived for long. Very close by, are 2 towering redwood trees belonging to our neighbors.

This is Pete. He might not look like much now but he is a survivor. When I bought my home 28 years ago, the back yard was an overgrown mess. We could not even see the fence. At the time, I was 6 months pregnant with my first child and my back yard was not my priority.

I am a long-time vegetable gardener who starts her plants from seeds. But for the vegetables I normally grow, I never had seeds that needed to be surface sowed.