Flower Gardens

By this time of year the lush growth and colorful flowers of spring are just a memory. Many California native plants go dormant in the summer, waiting for the fall and winter rains before they grow again. Some plants, like California buckeye, are already losing their leaves. But luckily for the native garden…

The Bay Area is a rich climate for having color all year from perennials. We highlight a few of our favorites if you're looking to enjoy bountiful color in your garden.

On our hot summer days, shady garden areas can offer welcome respite from the heat. One of the challenges of gardening in shade, though, is adding interest through color, because it can be difficult to find plants that bloom in shade. Incorporating native plants in your garden can greatly increase the…

In 2007, the United States Senate unanimously approved a resolution designating a week in June as "National Pollinator Week" (this year it is June 23-29, 2025). In response to the alarm raised by an annual increase in commercial honey bee deaths in the US, the government and researchers began addressing the…

A true treasure of the Americas, hummingbirds are a diverse family of more than 340 species, only 17 of which are found north of Mexico. They are also keystone mutualists, nectar feeders that have coevolved with the indigenous plants they pollinate.