Garden Tips
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I Fell in Love with a Matilija Poppy (And Now I’m Growing One)
There are plants you appreciate, and then there are plants that stop you dead in your tracks. For me, the Matilija poppy was the latter. I was visiting a friend’s yard when I spotted it — this enormous, sprawling shrub well over six feet tall, absolutely covered in blooms. The flowers looked like something out…
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My Never-Ending Battle with Bermuda Grass
If you are fighting Bermuda grass in a high desert garden, you are not alone. This is my honest account of what I have tried, what failed, and how I am managing the struggle season by season in Ridgecrest, CA. The Grass That Will Not Quit Every spring I swear it is over. I stand…
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What Is a Fantasy Garden? (And Why You Should Create One)
I believe every garden tells a story. Some whisper. Some sing. Mine? It likes to flirt a little. Fantasy Garden Month started because I wanted more than just function from my backyard. I wanted beauty with a bit of drama. I wanted the kind of space where a Bridgerton garden party might break out, or…
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Desert Garden Wins & Fails: What I Learned the Hard Way
When I first started gardening, it wasn’t about mastering desert conditions or pulling record harvests—it was about creating a beautiful yard where I could sit back, relax, and soak it all in. I pictured myself surrounded by blooms, maybe sipping iced tea while butterflies floated around. That vision was enough to get me started, even…