The Phoebe Family

Veggielution Groundbreaking – work session panorama

Around this time last year my yard was besieged with house flies. I would walk out on to the lawn (ok, more honestly, the mowed weed patch) and a hum would erupt around my feet as flies would swarm up. Needless to say it was not that appealing to be [...]

Party or Perish – gardening our way into a new millenium

Overview of the prepped site as we began forming the earthworks.

This little blip from Seeking Alpha calmly states that global food production will be reduced 20 to 40 percent due to droughts in the world’s bread baskets. As a resident in one of those dry breadbaskets, I find it hard to fathom the abstract tone [...]

My Dog Grows Better Spinach Than I Do

(A lesson in working with dogs in the garden)

I think I have finally reached enough equilibrium between me, my garden and our two dogs that I can confidently write a post about it. While I focus on my dogs because that is where my personal experience has been, this is also a story about the [...]

Plant Profile: Lemon Thyme

Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus variegata)
Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus variegata)

Thymus citriodorus variegata

Lemon thyme is one of my go-to plants in the garden. The variagated variety has beautiful foliage, the smell and flavor of the leaves are wonderful and it tolerates a wide range of growing conditions. In the ideal setting it would prefer well drained soil [...]

Transitions – a Year in Review

As fields and beds lie fallow and frozen throughout most of the country, winter tends to be the season of reflection and planning for most horticulturists. Even though the San Jose “winter” here in California is actually a productive growing season with only the occasional serious frost, I thought I would honor the winter tradition [...]