Plant of the Month (November) : California Sagebrush - Artemisia californica

California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) in Mother Nature's Backyard

It’s fall pruning time and our garden is perfumed by plants recently pruned.  Among our favorites is the California Sagebrush, Artemisia californica.  More than any other, the scent of California Sagebrush spells ‘California’ for many local residents.  You can grow this plant – and have trimmings for garden crafts and cooking – if you’re fortunate enough to live in the lowlands of Central and Southern California.

California Sagebrush is endemic (limited in range) to California from Contra Costa County to northern Baja California, Mexico, its range being limited by low winter temperatures.   It also grows on the Channel Islands, located just off the California Coast.   A plant of lower elevations (less that 2000 ft; more often less than 1000 ft elevation) Artemisia californica is an important member of California’s  Coastal Sage Scrub plant community.   It is also found in the Coastal Strand and lower elevation Chaparral communities, but it’s an indicator species for Coastal Sage Scrub (CSS).

California Sagebrush is best categorized as a sub-shrub – a plant with stems that are woody at the base and herbaceous near the tips.   A number of ‘shrubs’ of the CSS are, like Sagebrush, sub-shrubs.  They grow quickly, becoming established in a year or two at most.   Establishing quickly is advantageous in our climate, which is unpredictable at best. 

At maturity, Artemisia californica  can be as much as 4-5 ft. tall and 4-6 ft. wide.   Like many fast-growing native shrubs, it’s not particularly long-lived; even in nature, 25-30 years is ‘old’ for this species.    In the wilds, fire plays an important role in the growth and development of Sagebrush communities.  Some scientists believe this species needs regular fires, at intervals of perhaps 20-30 years, to ‘clear out the old brush’ and allow it to re-establish.  The fire interval is likely important; areas with more frequent fires do not seem to support Artemisia regeneration.

 

Young California Sagebrush in the Native Plant Garden at
Madrona Marsh Nature Center

Sagebrush plants have many stems from a woody central root crown (see above).  The stems are slender and wand-like – an attractive addition to the water-wise garden.   In nature, plants may look rounded – almost manicured – due to being ‘pruned’ by wild animals like deer and rabbits.  The plants aren’t the tastiest thing around – but they’re better than nothing!

Many features equip California Sagebrush for life in our mediterranean climate.  They have relatively shallow and fibrous roots, allowing them to utilize  soil moisture efficiently.  The roots also help bind the soil, a characteristic useful in hilly gardens and restoration sites.   California Sagebrush produces two sets of leaves each year: a larger, greener set in winter/spring and a smaller, grayer set on side branches in summer (see photo below).   This is also a common adaptation in plants from mediterranean climates.   The summer leaves are very drought tolerant.  They may appear shriveled and dead, but rehydrate and green up quickly with a summer moisture.

 

Wet-season (l) and dry-season foliage, Artemisia californica

Flower 'heads' of Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush)

 

The flowers of California Sagebrush are understated (see photo above).  They are small, green-gold and resemble little bells along the ends of branches.  If you look closely, you will realize that the ‘flowers’ are actually flower heads, typical of the Sunflower family (Asteraceae).  Plants can flower at any time, but summer through fall is typical in local gardens.   Flowers are primarily wind pollinated, so they don’t need to be particularly showy.  They produce many seeds, which also are wind-distributed (if not eaten first by birds).

California Sagebrush is easy to grow in just about any local soil.  It thrives in full sun to light shade and is very drought tolerant.  It is moderately salt-tolerant, but freezing winters will kill it.   It gets by fine with no summer water, but looks better if watered occasionally, when the soil becomes dry.  You don’t need to worry about fertilizing your California Sagebrush – it’ll do fine without any soil amendments.   

 

Two-year old Artemisia californica after fall pruning

Plants look better if pruned in the fall (remember the deer and other browsers).  We like to prune when plants are beginning to leaf out in October.  At that time you can clip with confidence, knowing you won’t harm the plant.   You can prune  Sagebrush fairly heavily – just be sure to leave 4-5 sets of new leaves/branches on each stem (see photo above).   It’s  important to prune young plants – even in the year after planting.  A well-pruned plant will be lush and full; you will need to prune it less as the years go by.   You can also tip-prune (pinch off) the growing branches in spring to achieve greater fullness.

 

California Sagebrush propagated by cuttings

 

California Sagebrush can be propagated from cuttings.  We’ve had best success in June or July, with semi-softwood cuttings 6-8 inches long (see photo above).

Some gardeners use Artemisia californica as a temporary filler plant, providing cover while slower-growing shrubs mature.  This is a good use, but there’s so much more to recommend this plant.  It’s a wonderful habitat shrub, providing cover and even nest sites for birds, lizards and other small creatures.  Many of these same creatures also eat the seeds.   It’s an excellent choice on slopes and other ‘hard to water’ areas, where it provides hardy habitat.    The only drawback is that this species is not fire-retardant – particular if left un-watered.  If you live in fire prone areas, plant it away from structures and give it some summer water.  Gardeners will also find that few plants grow beneath Sagebrush.  Whether because of shade or chemicals produced by the plant, the reason is unclear.

 

California Sagebrush in Spring

California Sagebrush in Fall (feathery wands at the back)

 

We love the look of its feathery foliage, which adds a touch of filmy mystery to spring and fall gardens (see above).  It’s color and shape provide just the right contrast to other local plants like Buckwheats and Sages (Salvias).  It is a ‘must have’ in any garden that features our beautiful locally native plants.   If you like the plant, but would prefer a lower growing or smaller form, the cultivars ‘Montara’ and ‘Canyon Gray’ provide nice alternatives.  ‘Montara’ is smaller than the species; ‘Canyon Gray’ is a low-growing form that makes a great groundcover (see below).

Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray'

 

But one of the best reasons to plant Artemisia californica is its aroma.  The scent is like no other – pungent, clean and oh so California.  We’ve heard it called ‘Cowboy Cologne’ and ‘Cowboy Deodorant’, harking back to days when cowboys encountered this aromatic shrub.    You smell it on a warm day, and when you brush against it.   And you can use it to make potpourri, seasoned vinegars and as a seasoning, adding zing to stews, soups and more.    Both sets of leaves are aromatic, and can be used (fresh or dried) for cooking and crafts.  A wand of Artemisia adds a special touch to flower arrangements; a bundle of dried stems makes a good natural room freshener (we suggest putting it in a cloth bag to prevent a mess).   More on making potpourri later this month (November 2013). 

The unique scent of California Sagebrush is due to a whole palette of plant chemicals.  While produced to discourage herbivores, protect against infection and help the plant burn better, these chemicals produce the signature fragrance that we think of as ‘Artemisia californica scent’.  Native Californians used this plant extensively as a ceremonial and medicinal plant.   The plant was often used in ceremonies for life transitions – and for ritual purification.   Leaves were rubbed on the bodies of hunters to disguise their scent.  Tea made from leaves was used to treat colds, fevers and to wash wounds.   Pounded leaves were used to disinfect cuts and were also chewed or smoked for cold symptoms.   And branches were hung up to freshen the air.    The leaves are also purported to drive away fleas (early settlers put them in their beds for this purpose).   What an amazing plant!

For a gardening information sheet and more pictures of this plant see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants.html

 

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We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com



Garden Crafts: The Colors of California - Dyes from Native Plants

Wool yarn colored with dyes from California native plants.

October and November are important pruning months for California native plants.  While some large shrubs are best pruned in summer, many local natives are cut back during their brief fall dormancy (see   ‘Pruning Common Native Plants’ – November 2012, for more on pruning).   Fall pruning can produce lots of trimmings, even in a small garden.   These trimmings can be composted or chipped to provide mulch.  But they can also be used for some great garden crafts.

One of our favorite fall crafts is natural dyeing using native plant trimmings.  Solar dyeing (see ‘Solar Dyeing with Native Plant Trimmings’ – October 2012) is an easy way to dye yarns and cloth made from natural materials (particularly wool & cotton).  It’s a great way to get started with natural dyeing.   You can access our brief instruction guide at:   http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/solar-dyeing-using-native-plant-trimmings-27255522  

 

           

Colors obtained from California native plants can be extraordinary.   The foliage and flowers of many plants produce lovely shades of tans, yellows and oranges.   Depending on the amount of plant material used, you can obtain lovely pastel to medium shades with solar dyeing.  Others native dye plants produce beautiful red-browns and browns.   Very few native plants (anywhere in the world) produce blue colored dyes in appreciable amounts.   And other colors, like some pinks and purples, fade in time, particularly when exposed to light.

Leaves, small branches and some flowers are the easiest materials to use for solar dyeing.  We’ve prepared a table of some easy-to-use dye plants native to California.   The table gives hints on how to extract the most dye from each source.   You can access the table at:   http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/easy-natural-dye-sources-from-ca-table.  

 

Yarns dyed with Canaigre Dock (upper left), Rabbitbush
 (clockwise), Coyote Bush, Toyon and Utah Juniper

 

The plants in the table are commonly used in California gardens.   If you don’t grow them yourself, we suggest you contact local native plant gardens and nature preserves.  Many of them do extensive fall pruning and produce lots of trimmings.  Contact the garden or preserve to ask if you can have some.  Or contact other home gardeners who may have trimmings to spare.   Never collect dye plants in the wild; in most places, these plants need to be protected, not collected.

 

We hope you’ll want to try natural dyeing.  It’s fun, creative and a great way to use your fall trimmings.  You can also try using non-native and kitchen garden plants for solar dyeing.  Just be sure they aren’t toxic (check at FDA Poisonous Plants Database:

 http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/plantox/ ).  

2013 'Mystery Jar' - Dye is Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis)
 leaves & branches

If you live in Southern California, you may want to visit our October/November natural dye workshops and demonstrations at Mother Nature’s Backyard (see calendar page for details).  Each November, several local artists/crafts-persons  display their work and answer questions about natural dyes.  It’s a great way to learn more about dye craft, meet local fiber artists and get inspired to try something new.  We also unveil the results of our solar dye ‘mystery jar’ (see photo above for the 2013 ‘mystery jar’).

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We welcome your comments, below.  If you have questions, please e- mail us at: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

Plant of the Month (October) : California Brickellbush - Brickellia californica

California Brickellbush (Brickellia californica) in Mother Nature's Backyard

Fall is the season when certain plants in the Sunflower family reign supreme.  With their bright flowers and sweet or pungent fragrances they brighten a garden that’s otherwise dormant.  They also provide important fall habitat for pollinator insects including native bees, pollinator flies, butterflies and moths.  One fall-blooming ‘Sunflower’ is the California Brickellbush - Brickellia californica.  It’s been blooming in Mother Nature’s Backyard since mid-September.

The Brickellbushes (genus Brickellia) are a group of around 100 species native to the Americas (North, Central and South America).  They are named for Dr. John Brickell (1749-1809), a physician and naturalist who immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland.  Most are woody shrubs or sub-shrubs and many are known for their aroma – either good or bad!  Many have a history of medicinal use and also serve as larval food sources for certain species of moths and butterflies.

Despite its name, Brickellia californica is native to much of western North America from southern Idaho and Wyoming south to Texas and Northern Mexico and west to the Pacific Ocean.  In California, it can be found growing on dry slopes and in canyons under 8000 ft. elevation from northern California to Baja.  In general, sites supporting California Brickellbush are dry in summer but receive a little extra water in winter. In warmer areas, the species tends to grow on more shaded, north-facing slopes.   In Los Angeles County it can still be found in chaparral & coastal sage scrub on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and on the Southern Channel Islands.

California Brickellbush is a woody shrub or sub-shrub.  It has a mounded to sprawling form depending on light and moisture.  Like California Encelia (Encelia californica), Brickellbush has multiple stems growing from a short woody trunk.  Over much of its range it dies back (or is eaten back) to the woody stems in fall/winter. In spring, plants produce exuberant new growth (up to several feet in a garden setting).   Pictures below show plants as they look in spring and in late summer.

California Brickellbush in Spring

California Brickellbush in Fall

This species has lovely light-green foliage in spring and summer (see above).   The leaves are simple, triangular in shape and covered with dense hairs and glands.  They look somewhat like mint leaves in early spring and are sticky to the touch.  In dry local gardens – and at higher elevations – Brickellbushes lose most or all or their leaves in fall/winter.   The young branches are white with dense hairs; older branches have papery, gray-brown shredding bark. 

Brickellbush blooms in summer or fall in Southern California.  In local gardens (western Los Angeles County), it may start as early as August or as late as October.  The bloom season lasts 2-4 weeks.  The flowers are arranged in compound ‘heads’ like many species in the Sunflower family.   The narrow flower clusters hang from the branches (see below).

Flower clusters, Brickellia californica

You’ll have to look closely to see the flowering heads – they aren’t showy and blend well with the foliage (see photo above).  What you will notice is the sweet aroma.  Brickellia californica flowers are intensely aromatic; they can literally perfume an entire garden with their unique, sweet fragrance!   Interestingly, the flowers are not particularly fragrant close-up and they release their fragrance mostly at dawn and dusk.   The scent is timed and formulated to attract moths, several of which are known to use California Brickellbush as an important larval (caterpillar) food source.  In Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas, the plant is host to the colorful Northern Giant Flag (Tiger) Moth (Dysschema howardi).  In Southern California,  Brickellbush serves the same purpose for the Flower Moth Schinia buta and possibly other species.   There is still much to learn about the interaction of native moth and plant species.

Foliage of California Brickellbush (Brickellia californica)

California Brickellbushes are often smaller in the wild than they are in the garden setting.  In local gardens, Brickellbushes often achieve a maximum height of 3-4+ feet and width of 5-6 feet.  Like other local native shrubs, Brickellbush will grow to size, even with yearly pruning (more on this later).  So note the size and plant accordingly.  Also, remember that this plant is fall-winter deciduous.   Consider planting it with evergreen native species.   

Plants like full sun to part-shade – we suggest some afternoon shade in hot Southern California gardens.   They can succeed in most local soils, from sandy to clay, and tolerate a range of pH from 5.0 (mildly acidic) to 8.0 (moderately alkali). Plants are quite drought tolerant once established.  Water several times a month (up to weekly) the first summer; they can then survive on less.  In local gardens, Brickellbushes are sometimes watered occasionally (Water Zone 2) or very occasionally in summer to keep then green longer.  Withhold water after August to promote plant health.

Pruning a Brickellbush (Brickellia californica) in Fall

Brickellbushes are quite easy to grow.  They will survive 10-15 years or more in many gardens.  They need no fertilizer, thriving in nutrient poor soils.  Like the California Encelia, they do benefit from fall pruning.   Remember, in the wild this plant is eaten down each fall by deer, rabbits and other herbivores.   So Brickelbushes are programmed to compensate for being ‘pruned’.  In Mother Nature’s Backyard we plan to prune our Brickellbush each fall back to about 8-10 inch branches (see below).  We’ve found that this works well in other local gardens.

Partially pruned Brickellbush

According to the Theodore Payne Foundation, Theodore Payne first introduced California Brickellbush into the nursery trade.  There are many reasons to include Brickellia californica in a home garden.  It can be argued that no local scent garden is complete without a Brickellbush.  Gardeners also plant this species for its habitat value.  In addition to providing moth larval food, the Brickellbush attracts a number of insect pollinators including native bees, pollinator flies, butterflies and others.   The shrub provides cover for birds, lizards and other ground-dwelling creatures.  Some birds also eat the small seeds.

California Brickellbush has a history of use as a medicinal plant.  The leaves were brewed into a tea or wash for coughs, fevers and skin sores.   Some plants in this genus have also been used to lower blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetic patients.  It’s becoming appreciated that Brickellbushes produce a wide range of interesting plant chemicals.  It wouldn’t surprise us if some ultimately find a place in ‘modern medicine’.

For a gardening information sheet and more pictures see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants.html

 

CA Brickelbush in MNBY - 2016 (4 years old)

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We welcome your comments, below.  You can also e-mail your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

Garden Crafts: Making a Simple Bookmark with Pressed Flowers

Pressing garden flowers is a wonderful way to preserve the beauty of summer and spring.  We discussed how to press flowers in our April 2013   posting on ‘Pressing Wildflowers’, which can be accessed at  http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html    Spring and summer can be busy times in the garden.  With the coming of fall, you may finally have time to put your pressed flowers to use.   A simple craft idea uses pressed flowers to make colorful bookmarks.  These unique and useful gifts are easy to do if you have access to a laminating machine.

The flowers used for making laminated bookmarks need to be thin and pressed very flat.  Look through your collection of pressed flowers for ones that are attractive and the right size – about 2  by 5 inches is a good size.   For background, choose a paper that complements your pressed flowers. A wide range of papers are available wherever scrapbooking supplies are sold.  We used pressed Birds-eye Gilia flowers (a native wildflower) for our bookmarks.  We selected a light cream and dark purple papers for the background, because they bring out the colors of the flowers (see above).   After trying the flowers on both backgrounds, we decided to use the cream as background with purple as border.

You can make your bookmark using only pressed flowers, but we like to include a little information on our bookmarks.  This is easy to do.  If you’re talented, print the information by hand; if not, use your computer to print the information on a light-colored background.  You can make 3 bookmarks from an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper – printed horizontally (set the page layout to 3 columns).   For our bookmarks, we included the common and scientific name of the flower and where it was grown (see below).

Cut out the bookmarks to the correct size.  We cut our inner background to 2 3/4 by 6 ½   inches  and the outer background (purple) to 3 ¼ by 7 ½  inches.  If you scrapbook, you likely have punches or edge-trimmers to make your borders even more decorative than ours.  

Carefully assemble the bookmarks in a laminating pouch, being sure that all edges are straight.   Run the pouch through the laminator, following the manufacturer’s operating  instructions.   Cut the bookmarks apart, leaving a ¼ inch laminated strip on all sides of each bookmark.    If desired, punch a hole in the top of the bookmark and insert a ribbon or cord.   That’s all there is to it!

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We welcome your comments, below.  You can also e-mail us at: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com



Designing Your ‘New California Garden’: 4. Assessing Your Family’s Needs (Functional Analysis)

If you’ve followed this series from the beginning (July 2013), you’ve come a long way towards designing your New California Garden.  You know your garden site quite well; you’ve drawn a site map (map of the area) and determined the characteristics that make your site unique. This basic preparation work – which takes some time – is worth the effort in the long run.    If you haven’t seen the previous postings, we suggest you begin with the July posting: Designing Your New California Garden: 1. Why Plan?

At this point the real fun begins – you start thinking about what your garden will actually look like.  The first step is to imagine the activities and functions that you’d like to take place in your new garden.  This is important: you want a garden that supports the outdoor activities you enjoy.  Another important aspect is defining the water goals for your garden.   Once your goals are clear you can design a garden that’s water-wise, life-friendly, functional and beautiful.

 

Garden Functions/Goals

What is a Landscape Functional Analysis?

The landscape plan for your New California Garden should reflect the types of activities you need and want to do in your garden.   The first step is to list the types of functions you’d like your garden to serve.  Some functions will be purely practical – for example, a place to put the trash cans, the clothesline or a compost bin.  Other functions will reflect your family’s recreation and leisure time activities – e. g. a play place for the children, a quiet meditation area or a place for outdoor dining.   The time to think about these functions is now – before you design your Landscape Plan.   That way you’ll be sure to include a place for important activities in your design. 

Developing your ‘Needs & Dreams List’

A good way to start is by listing all the possible functions your garden might serve.  At this stage we suggest that you put down every function you might want to include – you will prioritize and ‘prune’ your list later.  Just take a blank sheet of paper and start listing.   We suggest that you work on your list over several weeks; it’s important to list everything you might want to include in your plan. 

Think about all the features you’ve wished you had in your current garden. What activities are difficult to do in your current garden?  Consider home and public  gardens you’ve visited and liked.  What activities were possible in these gardens?  Were there specific features that ‘made’ the garden – for example a fountain with nearby seating for summer relaxation?   A ‘functional area’ that included trash bins, clothesline, potting bench and similar functions?  An attractive entry way with tasteful plants and statues leading to the front door? Garden art?  Did the garden have a place for growing vegetables or fruits?   

Each family's needs and wants will vary depending on their outdoor activities; be sure that everyone in the family has input to the list.  A few items to consider when developing your ‘Needs & Dreams List’ include:

Use areas for family pets, such as open lawn, dog run, etc.

Outdoor needs for cooking, sun bathing, lounging, reading.

What size and types of outdoor entertaining areas are needed?

What types of recreation areas are needed (pool; croquette; etc.)?

What are the outdoor storage needs for equipment, firewood, vehicles or boats?

Do you need a potting bench or other area to make garden tasks easier?

Do you want to include water features like ponds, streams, fountains?

Where do you need pathways/walkways?   Will they be for walking only, or will you need to move equipment (like trash barrels) over them?

Do you wish to devote specific areas of the garden to habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife?

Do you need to provide shade in some areas?

Do you need visual screens to block unattractive views

Would your yard benefit from a windbreak?

Do you need a ‘fire retardant zone’ around buildings?

Would you like a quiet sitting or meditation area?

Vegetable garden?  Fruit orchard?

Are there special requirements/needs associated with public areas (parking strip; front yard)

?Driveway(s) & roadways

etc., etc.

 

As you work on your ‘Needs and Dreams List’, also look at the section on Water Goals, below.  Complete the Water Goals Questionnaire.  Add any Water Goal priorities to your ‘Needs and Dreams’ list.

Once you complete your list, it’s time to get down to reality.  We suggest that you take a good hard look at your list.   You’ll probably find that some items can be deleted; others may be redundant.  Once you’ve pared down your list, divide your needs/desires into two groups: those related to public areas and those related to private areas of the garden.  You may find it helpful to high-light the two groups with different color high-liters. 

Next you need to prioritize your Public and Private Space Lists.   Use the Functional Analysis Worksheet (http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/functional-analysis-worksheet) to list up to 25 of your top priorities from each list.   Look at each list and see if any of the functions cluster together logically (for example: a vegetable garden, compost heap and grape arbor).   List your functional clusters on the Worksheet. We’ve included some exmple worksheet pages below.   The next step (October 2013) will be to place your functional clusters on a copy of your Base Map 2.   

 

Water Goals

Those of us in dry regions are thinking a lot about water this year.  We’ve gotten less than half the normal seasonal rainfall in our part of Southern California and that’s really dry!  You may be considering water-wise plants or other water conservation measures.  But first you need to have a plan.  Successful gardens – like any successful project – are easier to achieve if you start with a good plan.  

Using water efficiently is particularly important for those living in mediterranean and desert climates.  The era of cheap, plentiful garden water is coming to an end for many of us.  We need to get by on less – whether by choice, rationing or cost.   Getting by on less does not mean our gardens will be drab, brown and ugly.  But it does mean that we need to prioritize and use our garden water more efficiently.   

A good first step is to determine the water goals for your garden.  We can help, but you alone can define goals best suited to your garden, your budget and your way of life.   Water goals must be acceptable to everyone in the family, so setting water goals should be a family project.   We think you’ll find it fun and useful to think creatively about your garden water budget.   With planning, you can use water in high priority areas (vegetable garden; seating area; front entry; etc.) and decrease use in low priority areas.

If you don’t yet have a garden map, we suggest drawing one at this point.   For pointers on drawing a garden map see our July 2013 posting.  Make a copy of the map to use in determining your water goals.   You’ll be indicating certain areas on the map as you define your water goals.

We’ve developed a Water Goals Questionnaire that we use in teaching water-wise garden design classes.  This gardener-tested questionnaire has helped others understand their garden water use, soil water patterns and irrigation needs.  The questionnaire will get you thinking about ways to use water more efficiently.  As you go through the questionnaire, you may also want to review posts in our series on ‘Harvesting Rain’ (January through June, 2013).   

We think you’ll find the ‘Water Goals’ questionnaire (http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/your-water-wishes-questionnaire)  useful in setting your water priorities and goals. It covers topics you might not have thought about before – like defining areas that could be left ‘summer dry’.

We suggest you fill the questionnaire out in pencil, because you may want to reconsider your answers as you go along.  Take your time filling it out.  The Water Goals Questionnaire is meant to get you thinking – and discussing – what you want your garden to look like in the future.   Add any important Water Goals to your ‘Needs & Dreams’ list.

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We value your comments (below).    You can also contact us directly at mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com.